The Man Who Looks Like You
by Sasha Snape
Summary: When Nathan's mother dies, social services tracks down his father Dan, who is living in Tree Hill with his wife Karen and son Lucas. The four Scotts must learn to create a new family together. May contain spanking in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everybody! So, I wanted to do a story with Dan and Karen raising Lucas and Nathan as a family. The other day I was listening to the Billy Gilman song "Oklahoma" (which is where I got the title from) and I was inspired to write this story. There probably will be some mentions of spanking in later chapters, but for now we're just setting the stage for what I'm hoping will be an awesome family story. I do not own OTH or any of its characters. Thanks for reading and enjoy!**

"Alright, Lucas," Dan said, bouncing a basketball over to his ten-year-old son. "I want to see twenty perfect free throws in a row. You miss, you start over."

Lucas Scott sighed in frustration. "Dad, I'm tired," he groaned. "Can't I go inside for a little while?"

"Lucas, I'm only trying to make you better," Dan said kindly but firmly. "Trust me, son, you'll thank me for this one day."

Lucas rolled his eyes and lined up to shoot the ball, when he heard the front door of his house swing open.

"Dan!" Karen called. "There's someone on the phone for you!"

"Tell them I'll call them back!" Dan said, not taking his eyes off Lucas's stance.

"They said it's urgent," Karen said, walking down the driveway and handing him the portable phone. "And besides, it's almost time for dinner. I don't think it's going to ruin Lucas's chances at a college scholarship if you guys call it a night."

Dan tried to glare at her, but Karen simply raised one eyebrow and he knew he was beaten. The girl he had fallen in love with all those years ago was and always would be the only person who could talk him down off his high horse when he was being stubborn. Sighing, Dan reached out and took the phone.

"Hello?" he said, giving Karen a _"There, you happy?_" look as he walked back toward the house.

Karen smiled after him before turning to Lucas. "How's my boy doing?" she asked, pushing his sweaty bangs back from his forehead.

Lucas smiled at his mom, but she could see in his eyes how worn out he was. "I'm doing alright, I guess," he said. "Dad says my crossover is improving."

"But you're getting tired out, aren't you?" Karen pressed gently.

Lucas nodded reluctantly. "I don't want Dad to get mad at me, but I wish I didn't have to practice every single day this summer," he said quietly. "Sometimes I'd just like to go play with my friends or hang out with Uncle Keith at the garage."

Karen drew her son into a one-armed hug. "I'll talk to Dad tonight," she promised, placing a kiss on top of Luke's blond head. "But just remember, your Dad and I both love you and are proud of you. I know he can be pretty strict sometimes, but he really is doing in because he cares." Even though Karen got frustrated with Dan's intensity about sports, she knew the words she was saying to Lucas were true.

"Come on," she said, guiding Lucas toward the house with a hand on his back. "I'm making cheeseburgers for dinner as a reward for all your hard work today."

Lucas grinned as they entered the house. "Thanks, Mom," he said. Despite how tired he was of training, Luke never doubted how lucky he was that he had both of his parents. Dan's discipline and support combined with Karen's nurturing and care had turned Lucas into an intelligent, strong, and happy boy.

Karen smiled back at him, but her smile quickly faded away as she saw that Dan was still on the phone, his face a mask of concern and shock.

"I understand," he said, darting a quick glance over to his wife and son. "If you would allow me to talk with my family this evening, I'll call you back first thing in the morning to make the necessary arrangements. Yes, 7 a.m. sharp. Thank you. Good-bye."

Dan hung up the phone and placed it on the counter with a heavy sigh. "Luke, buddy, why don't you go upstairs and grab a shower before dinner," he said quietly. "I need to talk with your mom before we eat."

"Um, okay," Lucas said uncertainly, giving his mom a confused look. Karen gave him a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder and nodded toward the door. Once she was sure Lucas was out of earshot, Karen sat down next to her husband.

"Dan, what's going on?" she asked nervously. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Dan rubbed his hands wearily over his eyes and took a deep breath before meeting his wife's eyes. "Kar, you know I love you and Lucas more than anything, right?" he asked, almost pleadingly.

"Of course I do," Karen said without hesitation. "Dan, you're starting to freak me out. Tell me what is going on."

Dan averted his eyes back to his hands, which he was practically wringing on the counter. "You remember Deb?" he asked quietly.

"Deb, that girl you dated for a few months in college?" Karen asked. "Yeah, I remember you mentioning her a few times. Was that her on the phone?"

"Uh, no," Dan said, swallowing. "Deb…Deb's dead, Karen. Apparently she had a brain tumor that went undetected…she died this past week."

"Oh, God," Karen said, covering her mouth. "She was so young…I'm so sorry Dan. Was that her family who called?"

"No," said Dan, his voice barely above a whisper. "That was a social worker from Goldsboro. They wanted to talk to me about Deb's son. Her ten-year-old son," he said, finally looking at Karen again.

Karen may not have gotten a college degree, but even she could do such basic math. She stared into Dan's eyes for a moment, not wanting to believe that he was saying what she thought he was saying. "Her ten-year-old?" she breathed, her voice shaking slightly.

The great Dan Scott's eyes were glistening with tears as he looked at his stunned wife's face. "Karen, I'm so sorry…"

"Did you know?" Karen demanded abruptly, pushing her chair back from the counter and rising to her feet. "Did you know that there was a child out there who didn't have a father? Have you been hiding this all these years?"

"Of course not!" Dan shouted, jumping to his feet as well. "Karen, I can count the number of times Deb and I slept together on one hand, and every time we used protection. And as soon as I told her I was leaving school and coming home to be with you, I never heard from her again. Don't you think if I had known, I would have been there?"

Karen turned away from him and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. If Dan had asked her that same question ten years ago, she might have laughed in his face. But over the past decade, Dan had grown from an arrogant, selfish boy into a hard-working, honorable man, not to mention a loving husband and father. Karen knew that the Dan Scott in the room with her now would never have abandoned a child, the way she was afraid he would abandon Lucas all those years ago.

Karen turned back around and walked toward Dan, taking his hands in hers. "I believe you," she said softly, squeezing his hand in reassurance. "Dan, I have to ask, are they sure? That he's yours, I mean?"

"I did ask them about that, and they said we could do a paternity test to make sure," Dan said, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief that Karen hadn't jumped in the car and driven off at his announcement. "But my name is on the birth certificate, and the social worker said that from looking at a picture Deb saved from college, there is a remarkable physical resemblance between him and me. Also, I can confirm that Deb was a virgin when she and I…you know…and the timeline would certainly indicate that yes, Nathan is my son."

"Nathan," Karen said softly. She couldn't really explain it, but somehow hearing the boy's name made him seem more real. It also filled her with an undeniable urge to mother and nurture this child who was now left alone in the world. "Where is Nathan now?"

"He's currently at a group home in Goldsboro," Dan said. "I guess Deb's family cut her off after she got pregnant, so that was the only place they could put him until they tracked me down."

"How soon can we get him out?" Karen asked without hesitation.

Dan stared at her for a split second, before pulling her in toward him and giving her a passionate kiss.

"How did I get so lucky to find the most beautiful, loving, selfless woman in the world?" he asked softly, reluctantly tearing his lips away from her.

"Probably the same way I got lucky enough to find you," Karen said, leaning her head into his chest. "Dan, can you get that social worker back on the phone right now? I want Nathan out of that place as soon as possible."

Dan checked his watch. "Probably, but shouldn't we talk to Lucas first?"

"We'll sit him down after dinner and explain everything," Karen said, releasing herself from Dan's embrace and heading to check the baked potatoes she had in the oven. "We've raised a good son, Dan, and I'm sure he'll be just as anxious to get Nathan home as we are. So quit wasting time and call the social worker.

Dan closed his eyes, thanking God for bringing him such as incredible woman. Smiling, he picked up the phone and started dialing.

**Coming up next: Lucas ponders what it will be like to have a brother, Dan and Karen worry if their new son will accept them, and Nathan arrives. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, I was on a roll after writing the first chapter, so here's the next one a little earlier than expected! Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed! I'm having fun writing this story, so it's great to know that people are enjoying it. Just a warning, there are mentions of spanking in this chapter, so if that's not your thing, please don't read. Enjoy!**

Dan was woken the next morning by the shrill beeping of his alarm clock. He fumbled around to shut it off, vaguely confused as to why it was going off so early on the weekend, before he remembered the events of the previous evening. With a groan, Dan flopped back onto his pillow and rubbed his temples in frustration, waking up Karen in the process.

Karen rolled over onto her side and put her arm around Dan's waist. "You need to go talk to him," she said softly, rubbing her hand up and down his side.

Dan gave a short bitter laugh. "He made it pretty clear last night that he wanted nothing to do with me, Kar," he said. "I officially have one son who probably thinks I hate him and one who now hates me. When can I send in my Father of the Year application?"

"Lucas does not hate you," Karen said firmly. "All of this new information has him scared and confused, and he needs his Daddy. I think I got him calmed down before he went to bed, but you need to go smooth things over. And I doubt that Nathan thinks you hate him, but if he does, starting tonight you have the rest of his life to prove otherwise."

Dan shook his head doubtfully. "I've never seen Lucas that mad before, Karen," he said softly. "And I don't think I've ever yelled at him that harshly before either."

**Flashback**

"_I don't understand," Lucas said in a wavering voice, looking back and forth between his parents, who sat on either side of him on the couch. "How come you guys never told me about this?"_

"_We didn't know until today, Lucas," Dan said, putting his arm around his son. "If we had, you and Nathan would have grown up as brothers, but for whatever reason, his mom didn't want that for him. But now, we're all the family he has."_

"_He's not my family," Lucas said, shrugging Dan's arm off of his shoulder with a scowl. _

"_Lucas," Karen said quickly, cutting Dan off before he could berate the boy. "I know that this is a lot to take in, but Nathan is your brother. He needs a home and a family, and I think we have a pretty good one to give him, don't you?"_

_Lucas looked at her in hurt confusion. "How can you say that, Mom?" he asked incredulously. "Dad cheated on you with that other woman, and you're just gonna let her kid come into our house?"_

"_Hey!" Dan said sharply, his temper flaring up. "I did not cheat on your mother, young man. We weren't together when I was with Deb."_

"_Great, I'm sure that makes mom feel so much better, DAN," Lucas said sarcastically._

"_You better watch it, son," Dan growled. "And for the record, Nathan is also my kid, just like you are. That makes you brothers and family, and you will treat him as such, do you understand?"_

"_No, I don't understand," Lucas retorted, matching his father glare for glare. "I don't understand how you could have slept with another woman when you knew mom was pregnant with me. And I don't understand how you could let some bastard kid come and live with us!"_

"_Lucas!" Karen gasped._

"_That's it!" Dan yelled, grabbing Lucas by the arm and yanking him to his feet. "If you can't watch your mouth, you can sleep on your stomach tonight!"_

"_I hate you!" Lucas screamed, wrenching his arm out of Dan's grasp. "Go be his father! I don't want you anymore!" With that, the angry ten-year-old flew out of the room and ran upstairs._

"_LUCAS EUGENE SCOTT!" Dan yelled, starting to follow his son, only to be stopped by Karen._

"_Dan, you need to calm down!" Karen admonished sharply, grasping both of his biceps as tightly as she could. "Nothing is going to be accomplished with you two screaming at each other."_

"_Maybe something will be accomplished when I blister his butt for him," Dan said furiously._

"_That is not the solution here, and you know it," Karen replied firmly. "You are going to go take a shower, have a drink, do whatever you have to do to get your temper in check. I am going to go talk to Lucas, but don't you dare come into his room unless you are completely calm. Do you understand me?"_

_Dan clenched his fists in anger, but the steadiness of Karen's glare was starting to quell him, and finally he relaxed his shoulders with a sigh._

"_Fine, I will go grab a shower," he said tightly. "But Lucas and I are going to have a serious talk about disrespect sometime in the near future." He headed off towards the downstairs bathroom. Karen watched him go with a sigh before heading up to talk to Lucas._

_**End Flashback**_

"Dan, you both said some things last night that you didn't mean," Karen said gently, propping her head up so she could look into Dan's eyes. "Lucas feels awful about what he said, and despite his language, I don't think you actually intended to threaten him so severely. You need to go reassure him that you still love him, and I'm confident that he will do the same for you."

Dan sat in silence for a moment longer before giving Karen a brief kiss. "I love you," he said softly, before rising to his feet. Throwing on a t-shirt to go with his sweatpants, he headed down the hall to Lucas's room, while Karen headed downstairs to start on breakfast.

Meanwhile, Lucas was lying wide awake in bed, his stomach tied in knots. He had tossed and turned all night, worried about what today would bring. In a few hours, he would meet a brother he never knew he had. As if that weren't stressful enough for a kid his age, he was probably in major trouble with his Dad, even if his Mom had managed to calm him down like she promised.

**Flashback**

"_Lucas?" Karen said, opening the door to his room when he didn't respond to her knock. Despite telling Dan to go easy on their son, she too had been a little miffed at the language she heard coming from his mouth. But all thoughts of scolding him melted away as she saw Lucas lying prostrate on his bed, sobbing his heart out into his pillow._

"_Oh, Baby Boy," Karen said softly, hurrying over to his side and lifting him into her lap. "Shhh, it's going to be okay, sweetheart," she soothed, rocking him slightly just as she used to when he was born. Mother and son sat that way for several minutes, until Lucas's sobs turned into sniffles. Karen tilted his chin up so he was looking her in the eye. "Tell me what you're thinking, Lucas," she said gently._

"_How could he, Mom?" Lucas choked out, rubbing his eyes furiously. "How could he just have another kid with some other woman? Didn't he love us enough?"_

_Karen sighed, rubbing his back in soothing circles. "Lucas, your Dad loves you and me more than anything," she assured him. "He and I were both so young when I got pregnant with you, and at first, he wanted to play basketball instead of have a family. We have never lied to you about that. And when your Dad was off at college, he acted just like any other college boy. He made mistakes. But Lucas, he fixed the biggest mistake he ever made. He came back to us. He came back for you. And now he needs to be there for his other boy."_

_Lucas took a shaky breath, his trying to keep himself from bursting into tears again. "Mama, he knew about me for months and never came back," he said softly. "He's known about Nathan for a few hours and already he wants to be his Dad."_

"_Oh, Lucas, are you afraid that your Dad loves Nathan more than you?" Karen said in surprise. When Lucas didn't answer, she hugged him tighter. "Sweetheart, the only reason your Dad is stepping up so quickly with Nathan is because he is older and more responsible than he was before you were born, and that is thanks to you. You've taught him how to be a great dad, so now he can step up for his other child"_

_Lucas nodded slowly, so Karen continued. "Honey, I know that for a while after Nathan gets here, things will be confusing and probably difficult at times. But if we all work together, we can be an even better family than we already are. Just promise me that you'll try to be nice to him, okay?"_

"_Okay, Mom," Lucas agreed, giving her a tentative smile, which quickly turned into a frown of concern. "Is Dad still gonna spank me?" he asked nervously._

"_I will talk to your Dad about that," Karen promised. "I know that all our emotions were running high tonight, so I think we might be able to let the incident downstairs go unpunished. But if you EVER use language like that again, your father is going to have to wait his turn to spank you," she added meaningfully._

_Lucas had the grace to blush. "Yes ma'am," he said sheepishly. Karen smiled and gave him a kiss on top of the head._

"_Get some sleep, Lucas," she said, standing up and heading to the door. "Nathan will be here tomorrow before dinner, so we have a busy day ahead of us. Good night, sweetheart."_

"_Goodnight, Mom," Lucas said, heading over to his dresser to get his pjs._

**End Flashback**

Lucas was wondering if maybe he should bring his parents breakfast in bed in an attempt to save his rear end, just in case Mom hadn't calmed Dad down, when a knock at his door made his heart leap to his throat. "Come in," he said nervously.

Dan opened the door and walked into the room. Lucas shrank back ever so slightly as Dan sat on the edge of the bed, in what would normally be the perfect position to administer a spanking.

Dan regarded Lucas for a moment, noting with pride that although the boy looked terrified, he met his father's eyes bravely. "Sleep well?" Dan asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Lucas squinted slightly in confusion. "Um…not really," he said quietly.

Dan nodded slowly. "Me neither," he admitted. "Come here," he said, holding out his arms to Lucas for a hug.

Lucas hesitated for only a second before launching himself into his father's embrace. Dan caught him and held on tightly, the weight that had been on his heart all night finally lifting.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Lucas said, his voice muffled against his father's shoulder. "I didn't mean what I said. I don't hate you, and I'm sorry I called Nathan a…well, you know."

"I know, buddy," Dan said, patting the boy on the back. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have lost my temper like I did. You had a right to be upset about everything."

Father and son held onto each other for a moment longer, before Lucas finally let go and sat back down.

"So…am I still getting punished?" Lucas asked with trepidation.

Dan put his arm around Lucas and held him close. "If I know you, you've probably spent most of your time since last night punishing yourself," Dan said. "My son doesn't call people hurtful names, and he doesn't yell at and disrespect his parents either. And I would imagine that doing all of those things in one evening has made him feel pretty darn guilty."

Lucas looked up at his Dad. "It did," he said honestly. "I feel really bad for what I said, Dad. I just…I guess I'm worried about having a brother. What if he's a better son than me?" he added so softly that Dan had to strain to hear him.

Dan placed his hand on Lucas's cheek, making sure that the boy was looking him directly in the eye. "You are the best son I ever could have asked for, Lucas Scott," he said firmly. "I have more than enough love to give to Nathan without taking away any love from you. You will always be my first born, and you will always have a special place in my heart. Capiche?"

"Capiche," Lucas said, finally giving his Dad a tentative smile. "So…no punishment, then?" he asked hopefully.

Dan laughed and ruffled Lucas's already messy hair. "I think we'll let it slide this time, kiddo," he said, standing up. "But if I find out you have called Nathan or anyone else a name half as foul as the one you used last night, you won't…"

"Sit down for a month?" Lucas finished with a smirk.

Dan rolled his eyes and pulled Lucas up off the bed. "Come on, smart alec, I can smell breakfast and I'm starving."

The rest of the day was a blur to the three members of the Scott family. After a big breakfast, the family loaded up the truck and went on a major shopping expedition. With a lot of input from Lucas, Karen and Dan purchased a full set of bedroom furniture and bedding, along with several books, action figures, and other things a ten-year-old boy would enjoy. Lucas had plenty of books and toys of his own, of course, but Karen and Dan thought it would be best to get Nathan his own stuff in order to ward off any unnecessary jealousy or fighting.

After the truck was loaded to the brim, Dan and Lucas headed home to start putting together all the new furniture, while Karen stayed in town for a while longer to pick up some clothes. She didn't want to get too much-if Nathan was anything like Lucas, he would be very persnickety about getting to pick out his own clothes. But she didn't know what Nathan would have when he arrived, so just to be safe she picked up a couple of pairs of shorts, a few t-shirts, a pair of pajama bottoms, and some socks and underwear.

A few hours later, Dan and Karen were standing together in the now-converted guest room while Lucas played Nintendo downstairs. As Dan gazed out the window lost in thought, Karen wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"What are you thinking?" she asked softly.

"What if he does hate me, Karen?" Dan asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "What if he looks into my eyes and sees a man who abandoned him? What if-"

Karen walked around so she was standing in front of him, her arms still circling his waist. "Even if he thinks that at first, he will learn in time that he has a wonderful father," she said reassuringly. "To be honest, I'm more worried that he won't accept me as a mother."

"Well, if he doesn't, then I will have one idiotic son," Dan said playfully, returning her embrace. "You are the most wonderful mother I have ever known, and Nathan will be lucky to have you."

The couple stood lost in their embrace for a few moments, when out of the corner of his eye, Dan saw a black car pulling up the driveway.

"This is it," he said, taking a deep breath as he stepped away from Karen. "I think I should probably go out there alone. I don't want to overwhelm him."

"Of course," Karen said. "I'll go get Lucas and we'll wait for you two in the living room." They walked downstairs together, and Karen squeezed Dan's hand as he headed for the front door.

Stepping out onto the front steps, Dan's heart began pounding out of his chest. Standing next to the black care was a woman in her early thirties, and next to her was a young boy who was the spitting image of Dan at the age of ten.

"Mr. Scott?" the social worker said, taking a few steps toward him. "My name is Helen Truscott; we spoke on the phone."

"Yes, nice to meet you," Dan said vaguely, not taking his eyes from the little boy, who looked both fearful and curious. Dan walked over and knelt down so that he was on eye level with the child. "You must be Nathan," he said softly. "I'm your Dad."

**Yay, Nathan's home where he belongs! Coming up next will be Nathan's first evening as a full-fledged member of the Scott family. What chaos will ensue? Your guess is as good as mine…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. This chapter was actually getting way longer than it was supposed to, so I cut it off and now I have the first part of chapter 4 written. I'm going to keep writing, so the next chapter may be up in a few hours. Enjoy!**

Nathan Scott was feeling more confused and lost than any ten-year-old boy had a right to be. Less than two months ago, his mom had come home and told him she had cancer. She had promised him that she was going to fight it and get better. Then last week, as he was waiting for her to come pick him up from school, a woman had gotten out of a black car and told him that his mom wasn't coming to pick him up ever again.

Now, after a hellacious stay in a dingy group home, with kids who were smoking dope and pulling knives on each other, Nathan was in that same black car with the same woman, on his way to meet a father he'd never met.

His father. Whenever Nathan had asked about his father growing up, Deb would always avoid the question. Until one day, while helping her wash glasses at the bar where she worked, Nathan finally demanded to know the truth. Deb had sighed, and with a voice so low that Nathan could barely hear her, said that his father had chosen to be with another family. Nathan wanted to ask about this other family, but when he saw a tear slip out of his mom's eye, he bit his lip and went back to washing the glasses.

Nathan drew his knees up to his chest as the social worker got off the interstate and drove past a sign that said "Welcome to Tree Hill". Now that he was finally getting the chance to meet his dad and this "other family", all he wanted was to be back in that shabby bar washing glasses with his mom.

Helen Truscott looked over at the boy sitting next to her and patted his knee. "I know this is scary, Nathan," she said gently. "But try not to worry, okay? I spoke to your Dad last night. He and your stepmother are very happy that you're coming. Besides, won't it be fun to have a brother that's almost exactly your age?"

Nathan shrugged noncommittally. To be honest, he had dreamed his entire life of having a brother-had even asked his mom for one for Christmas every year since he was three. But he wasn't sure about having this kid Lucas for a brother. Mom had said that Dan had left them for another family, which meant he must have loved Lucas more. Nathan found himself extremely jealous and angry at this boy whom he had never met, and he wasn't planning on being very nice to him.

"We're here!" Helen said, putting the car in park and opening the door. "Let's get your stuff, okay?"

Nathan opened the door slowly, in awe at the big house in front of him. He could have easily fit half a dozen of the apartments he and mom had lived in into this colossal place. He found himself feeling slightly hurt that his dad had been living in this palace for all this time and hadn't given his mother a dime of child support. He did note happily that there was a basketball hoop in the driveway. Nathan loved basketball more than anything.

Helen had just set Nathan's suitcase and backpack on the ground when the front door of the house opened, revealing a tall man who had Nathan's nose and eyes. Nathan's own eyes widened slightly in fear and alarm-he had thought he would have a little time to prepare himself before meeting this man who would be taking care of him from now on.

"Mr. Scott," Helen said, smiling at the unfamiliar man. "My name is Helen Truscott; we spoke on the phone."

"Yes, nice to meet you," the man said, not taking his eyes off of Nathan, who found himself starting to freak out as the man knelt down in front of him.

"You must be Nathan," he said softly. "I'm your Dad."

Nathan looked up at Helen, who nodded at him encouragingly. Swallowing, he finally found his voice and mumbled, "Hi Mr. Scott."

Dan's lips tightened slightly at the formal greeting, but he tried to mask his feelings so as not to make the boy uncomfortable. Rising to his feet, he turned to Helen. "Would you like to come inside for a while? I know you must have had a long day being cooped up in the car."

"Thanks, but I actually have to be getting back," Helen said. "My job never stops, and I'd like to make it home before it gets dark. But your final paperwork should be arriving in a couple of days, so please call me if you have any questions."

She turned to Nathan and gave him a quick hug. "Goodbye, Nathan," she said warmly. "You be good, alright?" With that, she got into her car and drove off.

Nathan watched her go, feeling a strange sensation of panic combined with grief. He barely knew the social worker, but at least she was a tie to his old life. Now, all he had was his luggage and this man who seemed to tower over him.

Dan, noticing that the boy looked frightened, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm really glad you're here, Nathan," he said. He knew there was a lot more to say, but he didn't want to rush things. "Come on, let's get your bags in the house and I'll introduce you to Karen and Lucas."

Dan picked up the suitcase and backpack easily, and guided Nathan toward the house. When they got inside, Dan led him to a spacious, comfortable looking living room, where a dark-haired woman and a blond boy sat together on the couch.

"Nathan," Dan said, setting the luggage down by the doorway. "This is my wife Karen, and our son Lucas."

"Hi Nathan," Karen said, coming over to him and taking his hand in hers. "I'm so glad you're here with us. I was very sorry to hear about your mother," she said sincerely.

Nathan drew a sharp intake of breath when she took his hand. This woman Karen smelled like flowers and cinnamon, whereas his mom had always smelled of Ivory soap, with a slight hint of the beer she served ten hours a day to keep food on the table. But her hands felt exactly like his mother's-warm and gentle. He didn't know what to say, so he looked down at his shoes and said nothing.

Karen smiled sympathetically and turned to Lucas. "Lucas, come on over here and say hello to Nathan," she said, holding out her other hand to place on the blond boy's shoulder.

"Hi," Lucas said quietly, not really sure what else to say. "Um…sorry about your mom," he added.

Nathan nodded, willing himself not to burst into tears. Who were these people to talk about his mother? They had taken Dan away from her, and from him. Dan was the one who should be apologizing about his mother, but he had yet to mention her.

Dan cleared his throat, the awkward silence in the room driving him insane. "Nathan, we thought we would get pizza for dinner," he said, hoping that maybe some food would make the boy feel more at ease. "What do you like on yours?"

Nathan was determined to remain as antisocial as possible, but he was very hungry, and he loved pizza. "Pepperoni," he said softly.

"That's what I like, too," Lucas said, offering him a tentative smile, which quickly faded when Nathan looked back down at his shoes.

"Sounds good," Dan said, with a lot more enthusiasm than he felt. "I'll call Pizza Hut and have it delivered."

Dinner was shaping up to be an awkward affair at best. Both Dan and Karen tried to ask Nathan some generic questions about movies, books, etc. Nathan mostly gave them shrugs and monosyllabic answers, until Dan brought up the subject of basketball.

"So, Nathan, do you like basketball?" Dan asked, starting to feel a little desperate after the first twenty questions he had asked had been virtually ignored. But he realized he had struck gold when Nathan lifted his head up from his pizza for the first time since sitting down.

"It's my favorite sport," Nathan said eagerly, before remembering that he was supposed to be sullen. "I mean, I fool around sometimes," he added lamely.

"Well, you're definitely in the right family, son, because it's ours too," Dan said, ruffling Lucas's hair slightly as he said that. "When school starts up we'll get both of you guys enrolled in Junior League. How does that sound?"

Nathan stiffened slightly when Dan called him son. "Sure, Mr. Scott," he said, any excitement he had felt dissipating at the reminder that he was in a house with the man who had abandoned him. "May I be excused?"

Karen and Dan exchanged a look. "Well, Nathan, we were thinking after dinner we might play a board game? Maybe talk some more?" Karen suggested, wanting desperately to hold the little boy who looked so lost and alone.

"I'm really tired, Mrs. Scott. I'd like to go to bed."

Karen looked at Dan again, and gave him a slight nod. Dan patted her knee under the table, before looking at Nathan.

"Sure, buddy," he said understandingly. "Why don't I show you your room and we'll get you settled in for the night."

Nathan followed Dan as he grabbed the luggage from the living room and headed up the stairs. Dan opened the second door on the left, revealing the biggest bedroom Nathan had ever seen.

"We just decorated this for you this afternoon," Dan said, setting the luggage down and putting a hand on Nathan's back. "We weren't sure what colors you would like, so we let Lucas pick out the bedding and furniture. Obviously, his favorite color is blue," he added with a smirk.

Nathan would never admit it, but he actually really liked the room. Blue was his favorite color too, and he liked the blue plaid bedding and the dark wooden furniture Lucas had chosen. He was surprised to see that there were also toys and books in the room that looked new, not like the hand me down items that Nathan was used to.

"Well, if you don't like it, we can certainly look into finding you some new stuff," Dan said quickly, worried at the boy's lack of conversation. He knew Nathan must be scared, but he didn't know how to help him unless he talked.

"It's fine," Nathan said. "Thank you," he added grudgingly.

"You're welcome," Dan said, squeezing his shoulder affectionately. "Listen, I don't know what all you have in terms of clothes, but Karen bought you a couple things just in case. She'll take you shopping for more later, but in the meantime, there's a new set of pjs in the top dresser drawer. Why don't you head to the bathroom and get ready for bed, and then I'll tuck you in?"

"You don't have to do that," Nathan said hurriedly. "I can put myself to bed." Being tucked in was just another reminder Nathan didn't need about how his mother was never coming back.

Dan felt slightly hurt by the abruptness of Nathan's answer, but he nodded slowly. "Alright," he said softly. "The bathroom is right across the hall. Lucas sleeps in the room next to yours, and Karen and I are at the end of the hall if you need anything." He paused, unsure of what to say next. He finally settled on a gentle, "Goodnight, Nathan," and headed out the door.

Nathan hurriedly got in his pajamas (his pajamas, not the ones that Karen had bought), brushed his teeth, went to the bathroom, and climbed into bed. Reaching down into his backpack, he pulled out a framed picture of himself with a beautiful, blond haired woman.

"I love you, Mom," he said, clutching the picture to his chest. Then and only then, did he finally allow the tears that had been threatening him all day to fall.


	4. Chapter 4

Nathan must have cried himself to sleep, because the next thing he knew, he was awakened by a hesitant knock at his door. He looked around the unfamiliar room in confusion before remembering where he was. Sighing, he got up and opened the door. Standing on the other side was a slightly uncomfortable looking Lucas.

"Hey," Lucas said, hovering awkwardly in the doorway. "Mom said to come get you for breakfast. She's making waffles. And Dad said if you wanted he'd take us to the River Court to shoot some hoops later."

Nathan felt a pang of sadness when he heard that Karen was making waffles. Waffles were his favorite, and his mom had made them for him every Sunday as a treat. At least, she had until she had gotten sick. Those Sunday mornings with waffles were some of Nathan's most cherished memories, and he certainly wasn't going to eat any waffles prepared by this other woman.

"I'm not hungry," he said shortly, stalking back to his bed.

Lucas shifted his stance, looking even more uncomfortable than before. "You have to at least come downstairs, even if you're not hungry. It's one of Mom's most important rules that we always eat breakfast together. She only lets me skip it when I'm sick."

"Well, it's a good thing she's not my mom then, isn't it?" Nathan said.

"I know she's not your birth mom," Lucas said, feeling incredibly flustered. "But she's at least your stepmom, and if you want, she would be your real mom, too."

Lucas had been trying to sound comforting, but Nathan felt a surge of anger at the other boy's words.

"She is NOT my mother!" Nathan said harshly. "She's a stupid bitch, and your Dad's an asshole! I don't want any of you, so just leave me the hell alone!"

Lucas was often very slow to anger, but no one insulted his mother and got away with it. "Well, guess what?" Lucas said, taking a few steps and getting in Nathan's personal space. "I don't want you either! I even told Mom and Dad that, but they said you had to come because no one else wanted a little bastard like you!"

With that, Nathan drew his fist back and punched Lucas in the stomach, causing the older boy to gasp for breath as he fell against the door frame. But Lucas wasn't down long before he pushed himself to his feet and lunged at Nathan, throwing him on the bed.

Dan was sitting at the kitchen island sipping his coffee while Karen was at work with the waffle iron, when both of them were startled by a series of thuds from upstairs.

"Shit," Dan said, slamming his coffee mug on the table. "That damn well better not be what I think it is."

Both Scott parents sprinted up the stairs into Nathan's room, where to their horror they found their two boys beating the crap out of each other in the middle of Nathan's bed.

"Hey, break it up!" Dan yelled, grabbing Lucas's waist and lifting him off of Nathan's chest. Lucas kept flailing his arms, not really paying attention to his father, while Nathan kicked his foot out and hit Lucas directly in the thigh, barely missing a much more sensitive area.

"ENOUGH!" Dan boomed, handing Lucas over to Karen and pulling Nathan up off the bed. "What the hell is going on here?"

"He called Mom a bitch!" Lucas said, struggling against his mother's firm hold. "And he called you an asshole, Dad! And then he punched me in the stomach!"

"Yeah, because you called me a bastard, jackass!" Nathan retorted, trying in vain to remove his arm from Dan's viselike grip.

"Lucas Eugene!" Karen said sharply. "Didn't we just have a talk about using that kind of language?"

Lucas stopped struggling and looked at her pitifully. "But he insulted you, Mom!" he said, a hint of a whine entering his voice.

"That is no excuse!" Karen said sternly. "For _either _of you," she added, looking meaningfully at Nathan.

"Whatever," Nathan said, scowling. He actually felt a little embarrassed that Karen knew he had called her such a mean name, but he was still angry enough that he didn't feel like apologizing.

Dan drew in a sharp breath, knowing he needed to get these two separated so he could talk to Karen. "Lucas, you go to you room," he said sternly. "I'll be in to have a chat with you in a bit, young man."

Lucas turned fiery red, knowing what his dad meant. He opened his mouth to protest, but a furious glare from Dan stopped him, and he fled to his room.

Dan turned to Nathan with a slightly calmer look. "I'm going to go talk with Karen, and then I will come to chat with you as well," he said firmly. "It's been a long time since I talked with your mother, but I'd bet money that she didn't raise you to speak like that or to fight."

"Whatever," Nathan said sullenly, plopping himself down on his bed and folding his arms. Dan wanted to scold him for the attitude, but Karen placed her hand on his arm and motioned for him to come with her. Sighing, he followed her down the hall and into their bedroom.

Dan flopped down on the bed and put his head in his hands. "Alright, I'll admit, I was expecting some sort of sibling rivalry fight to break out at some point," he said wearily. "But I didn't think it was going to be so soon and so violent."

Karen sat down next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. "I know," she said, taking his hand in hers. "Now the question is, how do we deal with it?"

"That's going to be tricky," Dan sighed. "Lucas knows exactly what to expect for behavior like this, and if we don't deliver, we'll lose our credibility with him. On the other hand, we can't punish Lucas and not punish Nathan the same way for the exact same offense. But is it too soon to discipline Nathan, let alone spank him?"

Karen thought for a moment, thinking about the sad looking little boy who had sat at her dinner table last night, and came to a decision. "Dan, as difficult as it might be, I think we're going to have to treat the boys the same on this one," she said. "We're going to be raising them together for the next eight years, and we can't have two sets of rules. And we promised Lucas only yesterday that if he used language like that again, he could expect a spanking."

"But what if Nathan isn't used to being punished in that way?" Dan said, his usual stoic façade starting to crumble. "The boy just found out I'm his father-won't it scare him if I just go in there and start hitting him?"

"Dan, a spanking is not hitting and you know that," Karen said with a touch of exasperation. "From looking at Nathan last night, I can tell that he feels frightened and lonely. I think you need to show him that all of us, especially you, are not going anywhere. And you need to show him that you love him enough to punish him for his mistakes."

Dan knew she was right, even though he was nervous about administering said punishment. "Which one should I deal with first?" he said, thinking out loud.

Karen closed her eyes, remembering her exchange from the other night with Lucas. "I forgot to tell you. I warned Lucas that if I heard him saying that word again, I would spank him before you did."

Dan looked at her incredulously. Karen rarely spanked Lucas, unless Dan was out of town or he had disobeyed her specifically. "So what, we're each going to spank both of them?"

"Of course not," Karen said quickly. "I'd rather not do it at all, but like you said, I can't go back on my word without losing my credibility. I'm going to spank Lucas for using that exact word again just days after he was told not to. You can spank him and Nathan both for the fighting and the other language."

"Well, this is turning out to be a stellar first day as a family," Dan said sarcastically. "We're ending up with more spankings than there are kids."

Karen smiled sympathetically and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "True, but hopefully if we lay down the law we'll have less acting out in the future. Who knows-maybe they'll bond over being mad at us for punishing them."

Karen stood up and headed for the door. "I'm going to go deal with Lucas. You take your time and go talk to Nathan when you're ready. Just be gentle with him," she warned.

"I will," Dan promised. "Love you, Kar."

"Love you too."

"Come in," Lucas said nervously, when he heard a knock at the door. He was surprised when his mom opened it and walked in, closing it behind her. "Mom? Where's Dad?"

"He's going to go talk to Nathan," Karen said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You want to tell me what happened this morning?"

"I don't know," Lucas said in frustration. "I just told him to come down to breakfast, and then he started saying you weren't his mom, and I said you could be if he wanted, and then he called you a…well, you know. And I called him…yeah…and then he punched me and I punched back," he finished lamely.

"I see," Karen said, realizing that she would need to have a heart to heart with Nathan at some point. She knew he would probably be sensitive at the idea of someone replacing his mother, and she needed to assure him that those were not her intentions at all. "Well, it sounds like you didn't start it, which is a point in your favor. But using that horrible word is entirely your fault, and we're going to settle that right now."

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked questioningly.

Karen gave him a hard look. "Did I or did I not tell you that your father was going to have to wait his turn to spank you if I ever heard that language coming from your mouth again?"

Lucas's eyes widened in alarm. "But…but I only said it because he insulted you!" he stammered. He couldn't believe Karen had actually been serious when she said she would spank him-she never spanked him. Well, she did sometimes, but Lucas could count the number of times it had happened on one hand. Mom was the good cop, Dad was the bad cop. That was how it had always been.

Karen turned slightly and took Lucas's hands in her own. "I don't care what Nathan said about me, Lucas. He is going to be punished for his part in this little fiasco. Dad is going to spank both of you for the fighting and the language, but first you and I have a score to settle."

"I'm getting spanked twice?" Lucas squeaked, his eyes prickling with tears. "Mom, you can't…"

"Oh yes, I can, young man," Karen interrupted sharply. "I am your mother and I will discipline you however I see fit."

A stray tear escaped the corner of Lucas's eye, and Karen sighed and wrapped him in a hug.

"I don't want to spank you, Luke," she said softly, rubbing her hand through his hair. "But you have to believe me when I tell you that there will be consequences for something, I will follow through with them."

Lucas looked up and saw that Karen was looking a little teary eyed too. Feeling bad for having made his mom cry, he decided to take his punishment without complaint. Biting his lip, he leaned over and stretched himself across Karen's lap.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he said, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. "I promise I won't ever say it again."

Karen looked at the little boy laying across her lap and wanted nothing but to pick him up and rock him in her arms. Instead, she said "I hope not, Lucas," raised her hand, and started spanking.

Lucas flinched as each swat came raining down on his pajama covered behind. Karen certainly didn't spank as hard as Dan, but she was no pushover either. As the sting started to increase, Lucas couldn't help the whimper that escaped from his throat.

"I did not raise you to use hurtful language, Lucas Eugene Scott," Karen scolded, aiming her swats at Lucas's sit spots. "I don't care what the circumstances are, you rise above them. If I catch you using words like that again, you're going to be holding a bar of soap in your mouth while I spank you." She slowed down the swats, but increased the strength behind them, causing Lucas to yelp in shock.

"Ow!" he hissed, clutching his bedspread with his hands. "Mom, I promise I won't! Mama, stop!"

The minute Lucas resorted to calling her Mama, Karen lost the will to continue the spanking. She added two more swats, and then scooped Lucas up in her lap, making sure to keep his bottom from touching anything.

"Shh, Baby Boy," she soothed, rocking him gently. "It's okay, Mama's got you. You were so brave, and it's over now. Hush, now."

"I'm sorry, Mama," Lucas choked out, his tears soaking into Karen's shirt. "I didn't mean to say it. I just don't know why Nathan hates us so much."

"Sweetheart, I don't think he hates us. I think he's a scared little boy who's lost his Mama, and he's afraid to get close to anyone. But it will get better, I promise." _"It has to,"_ she thought.

Just as she said that, she and Lucas were both startled by the sound of a sharp slap, followed by an indistinguishable yell.

"Well, that's probably not going to make it better," Lucas said uncertainly.

**AN: Okay, so these chapters are getting way longer than I thought! I had intended to write both Nathan and Lucas's punishments in this chapter, but I think Nathan is going to need a chapter all to himself. I hope to have the next chapter written by tomorrow. It will contain Nathan's punishment, and possibly Lucas's second punishment. I'll get it done as fast as I can!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Happy Fourth of July to my fellow Americans! After this chapter, things should be getting a little easier for the Scott family. This chapter, however, does contain spanking, so if you don't like it, please don't read! Enjoy!**

Dan was standing outside the door of Nathan's bedroom, trying to gather the courage to go in and talk to the boy. He could hear Karen scolding Lucas in the next room, and for a split second he was jealous of his wife. At least she was dealing with a familiar child who wasn't burdened by grief and fear. Dan knew that before he punished Nathan, he would have to have a long, probably emotional conversation with him, which was definitely not his strong suit as a parent. Still, he knew it had to be done, not just for Nathan's sake, but for his sake as well.

Taking a deep breath, Dan knocked on Nathan's door. When he didn't hear a reply, he opened the door slowly, half afraid that Nathan had climbed out the window and ran for it. He breathed a mental sigh of relief when he saw that Nathan was in the exact same position he had left him in: slouched up against the head board, arms folded and a scowl on his face.

"Hey Nathan," Dan said, closing the door and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "You want to tell me what you guys were fighting about?"

"We already told you," Nathan snapped, turning his head to stare out the window. "I called you names, Lucas called me names, I punched him, he punched me. The end."

Dan's eyes narrowed slightly. He wasn't used to letting an attitude like Nathan's slide, and he wasn't sure how much more of it he could take before he lost his temper. "Yeah, I got that part. Can you tell me why you called Karen and I the things you did?"

Nathan sensed the bite in Dan's voice, but it did nothing to quell his own temper. "I dunno," he shrugged. "Cause I think you are, I guess."

"I see," Dan said, gripping his hands on his own knees so he didn't accidentally strangle the kid. "And why exactly do you think that, Nathan? You've only known us for less than a day."

"Whose fault is that?" Nathan snapped, turning back toward Dan with a newfound fire in his eyes. "You're the one who never came to see me, and your stupid wife and son are the ones who kept you from coming. I know you better than you think, _Mr. Scott._"

Dan looked at him in confusion. "Nathan, I didn't know about you until two days ago, when the social worker called. Your mother never told me about you."

"You're lying!" Nathan yelled, jumping off the bed and glaring at Dan furiously. "My mom said you left us for another family, that you didn't want us! You abandoned me!"

"No Nathan, I didn't," Dan said insistently, all his frustration with the boy's attitude dissipating as he realized what was truly the problem here. "I don't know why she did it, but your mother never even told me that she was pregnant, let alone that she had you. If I had known you existed, I would have been there, Nathan. I swear to you on my life, I would have been there."

"NO!" Nathan screamed, stomping his foot on the ground. Dan couldn't be telling the truth, he couldn't. "My mom would have told you! It's your fault, not hers!" Before he could stop himself, he reached out and slapped Dan hard across the face.

Dan gave a yell of pain and surprise as he stared at Nathan in disbelief. He didn't know whether to be furious or proud as hell that the kid had as much guts as he did. Taking a deep breath to get his emotions under control, he did the only thing he could do-he reached out his arms and grabbed Nathan by the shoulders, pulling the boy toward him.

"Let me go!" Nathan screamed, trying in vain to break free. "I hate you, I hate you!"

"Too bad," Dan said calmly, lifting the boy onto his lap and holding him tightly. "Because I love you."

"No, you don't!"

"Yes, I do. I love you very much, Nathan," Dan said firmly, ignoring the boy's desperate attempts to escape. "I loved you the first moment I heard about you two days ago. I loved you the first time I saw you last night. And no matter how much you keep fighting me, I am always going to love you."

"No," Nathan sobbed, his struggles becoming slower as the tears started to pour down his face. "Mom loved me, and now she's gone! I don't have anybody!"

"Yes, you do," Dan said, holding the boy's head to his chest. "You have Karen and Lucas, and you have me. I love you, son. And I'm not going anywhere."

Nathan tilted his head so he could see Dan's face. "You really didn't know about me?" he said, his voice shaking uncontrollably.

"No, son, I didn't. And I will spend the rest of my life regretting that I missed out on all those years I could have had with you," Dan said, looking Nathan in the eye with as much sincerity as he had ever shown. "But I swear to you, I will make it up to you. I know you miss your mom, but we are going to give you the best life we can here. You're my boy, and now that I've got you, I'm not ever letting you go."

Nathan's face crumpled in a fresh wave of tears, but this time he stopped struggling and allowed Dan to hold him close. Dan didn't say anything; he just held his youngest son and rocked him slowly, allowing him to pour out all his fears and sadness onto his cotton t-shirt. Eventually, Nathan's tears were spent, and he pushed himself up off of Dan's chest, rubbing his eyes furiously as he did so.

"I'm sorry for what I said," Nathan mumbled, not looking at Dan. "And I'm sorry I hit Lucas…and you."

"I know," Dan said, rubbing his back as he thought to himself. Now that they'd had this emotional breakthrough, he was again unsure as to how to deal with Nathan's behavior. The language he could forget, knowing how high Nathan's emotions were running, but he didn't think he could just let fighting go unaddressed.

Finally, Dan looked down at Nathan and asked, "Nathan? What would your mom have done if you had said those things and gotten in a fight?"

Nathan glanced up at him in surprise. "Um, I don't know," he stuttered, his face turning slightly red.

"Are you sure?" Dan pressed gently.

Nathan sighed and bit his lower lip. "I guess…she'd have probably spanked me," he whispered. "She never grounded me because she always at work, and I didn't really have much stuff to take away."

"I see," Dan said, almost nonchalantly. "You know, while I've been in here with you, Lucas has been getting spanked by his mom for calling you such a dirty name, and later I'm going to deal with him for fighting. Do you think it would be fair if we just punished him and not you?"

"I don't know," Nathan said, his voice getting smaller by the minute. "I guess not."

"I don't think so, either," Dan said, proud that the boy had admitted to being in the wrong. "You know, Nathan, I'm really looking forward to all the fun things we can do together as father and son. But one of the not so fun things that I have to do in order to be a good parent is to punish you when you screw up. And fighting and swearing are definitely screwing up. Can you understand that?"

Nathan didn't answer, but he did give an almost imperceptible nod. He definitely didn't want to be spanked, but now that he knew the truth about Dan, he was craving his acceptance. Dan patted him on the back and lifted him to his feet.

"This isn't going to be nearly as severe as you probably deserve, Nathan," he said. "But I know that you were acting out because you're hurting. So we're going to take care of this quickly, and then we can start fresh, okay?"

Once Nathan nodded again, Dan didn't waste any time in helping the small boy lay across his lap. Raising his hand, he quickly delivered ten hard smacks; not nearly as hard or as many as he normally delivered, but enough to show Nathan that he meant business. Nathan hissed in pain, but he didn't cry-he was pretty sure he was out of tears.

Dan patted his back and helped him stand up once the final swat had been delivered. "You took that really well, son," Dan said, placing his hands on Nathan's shoulders. "I'm sorry I had to do that so soon after you got here, but you understand why, don't you?"

"Yeah," Nathan said, sniffling quietly.

"Good. Now, I want you to apologize to Karen for what you called her, and to Lucas for the fight, alright? And make no mistake; Lucas will be apologizing to you as well."

"I will," Nathan promised. "I really am sorry for everything…Dad."

Dan didn't even try to stop the tears from coming as he lifted Nathan in his arms and rose to his feet. Nathan wrapped his legs around Dan's waist, and the two clung to each other for dear life. They probably would have remained there all day had a knock at the door not interrupted them.

"Everything okay in here?" Karen asked, poking her head in the doorway. Dan looked over the top of Nathan's head and gave her a huge smile, which she returned. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"Everything's good," Dan said, finally setting Nathan back on his feet, but keeping his arms wrapped around the boy's shoulders. "How are you guys doing?"

"Lucas is waiting for you in his room," Karen said. "I thought while you go talk to him, Nathan and I could do downstairs and have some breakfast. I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving."

"How about it, Nate? You hungry?" Dan asked, looking down at him.

"Yeah," Nathan admitted. He walked over to Karen. "I'm sorry for what I called you, Mrs. Scott," he said shyly.

"You're forgiven, Nathan," Karen said warmly, taking his hand. "And you can call me Karen for now. Come on; let's go get something to eat." Turning to Dan, she said, "Lucas was very well-behaved for me. Don't be too hard on him."

Dan nodded. "See you in a few minutes." He headed over to Lucas's room and knocked before letting himself in. Lucas was curled up on his side, his eyes still slightly red from his earlier encounter with Karen.

"Stand up, Lucas," Dan said, sitting on the bed. Lucas obeyed, albeit reluctantly, and stood to face his father. Dan grasped his shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "You know that fighting is wrong, right, whether you start it or not?"

"Yes, sir," Lucas said, wishing his Dad would just skip the lecture. His butt already hurt and he'd rather just get his second spanking over with.

"And you know that if you fight, you deserve to be punished?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," Dan said seriously, before turning Lucas around and giving him two heavy swats on the seat of his pajama bottoms. "Don't do it again," he said sternly, turning Lucas back around.

Lucas stared at him in bewilderment. "Um…not that I'm complaining or anything, but…was that it?"

Dan smiled and ruffled the boy's messy blond hair. "I know you didn't start anything, and you were coming to your mother's defense," he said. "And I know that despite your mother's diminutive size, she can pack a pretty good wallop when she wants to. So yeah, that's it. But I'm not going to be so lenient next time," he warned.

"Thanks, Dad," Lucas said, giving him a relieved smile and a hug. The swats had stung, but he knew that Dan could deliver much worse.

"You're welcome," Dan said, returning the hug. "Now can we please go downstairs and eat? We were supposed to have breakfast almost an hour ago."

"Hey, you're the one who insisted on punishing us," Lucas said flippantly. "I would have been perfectly content to go eat as soon as Nathan and I were done fighting."

Dan rolled his eyes and grabbed the boy by the waist, throwing him over his shoulder. "You keep that attitude up and you're spending the rest of the summer locked in your room," he joked, giving Lucas a mock spank as he headed downstairs.

While Dan and Lucas were upstairs having their discussion, Karen was serving Nathan a freshly made waffle and a glass of orange juice. "Do you like syrup and butter, Nathan?" she asked, bustling around the kitchen.

"Yes please," Nathan said softly, staring at his waffle with a twinge of sadness. This didn't go unnoticed by Karen, who stopped what she was doing and came over to sit next to him.

"What's wrong, Nathan?" she asked gently.

"It's just…my mom used to make me waffles," Nathan said sadly. "I feel bad eating them without her."

Karen nodded in understanding. "You know, Nathan, I never got to meet your mom," she said softly. "But I can tell she must have been a wonderful woman, because she raised a wonderful son. I know that you must miss her terribly."

Karen touched her hand gently to Nathan's face and turned it so they were looking at each other. "I would never try to replace your mom, Nathan," she said tenderly. "I know that someone as precious as a mother can never be replaced. But it isn't being disloyal to your mother's memory to feel comfortable here, to have fun, or even to eat waffles. I'm a mother too, and I know if I were gone, all I would want would be for my son to be happy."

"I really miss her," Nathan said, a tear slipping from his eye.

"I know," Karen said, standing up and giving him a hug. Nathan didn't move to return the embrace, but he didn't tense up either, which made Karen feel as though they had made a small step forward. "Now, you think you can eat something?"

"Well, if he can't I sure can," Dan said, coming into the kitchen with Lucas giggling from his shoulder. "Kar, could you throw this in the garbage for me, please?" he said, tossing Lucas to Karen.

"Dad!" Lucas laughed, slipping out of Karen's arms and onto the floor. "That's gross!"

"Well, if you're afraid of getting dirty, I guess Nathan and I will have to go to the River Court by ourselves later on," Dan said, giving Nathan a wink.

"No way! I'm gonna beat you this time, Dad!" Lucas said playfully, before turning to Nathan. "I'm sorry for what I called you," he said sincerely. "And for hitting you."

"It's okay," Nathan said. "I started it, and I'm sorry, too."

Karen and Dan exchanged a private smile at the sight of the two boys getting along. They obviously weren't ready to be best friends yet, but hopefully they could sit down and enjoy breakfast together.

"Come on, kid, sit down and eat," Dan said, mussing Lucas's hair. "Or wait; do you want a pillow to sit on?" he teased.

"Dad!"

As Nathan watched Lucas and Dan mess around with each other while Karen scolded them to be quiet, he allowed himself a tiny smile. He still missed his mom desperately, but watching the Scott family, he didn't feel so scared anymore.

**Aw! Hopefully things will be getting a little better for Nathan and his new family now! Not perfect, though, because where would be the fun in that? Coming up next: Uncle Keith! Who, coincidentally, has a couple of adopted kids of his own. I wonder who they could be…?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's the next chapter! Thanks to everyone who is reading and especially everyone who has reviewed! It's nice to know that someone other than me is enjoying this!**

"Nathan, ball!" Lucas called, holding his hands out for the basketball.

Nathan worked the ball in a crossover dribble, trying to find a way around Dan, who was guarding him.

"Come on, Nate, let's see what you've got," Dan said, more encouragingly than tauntingly.

Nathan faked left and then passed the ball around Dan to the right, into Lucas's waiting arms. Lucas grabbed the ball and made a perfect basket.

"Yes!" Lucas yelled, pumping his fist in the air. "21! Game over, Dad!"

Dan laughed, and sat down on the court in exhaustion. "Clearly I underestimated the combined power of two of my sons," he said. "I'm going to have to start coming down here for some extra practice if I want to beat you two."

"Good job, Nate!" Lucas said, coming over and offering his hand for a high five. "I've never beat Dad in 21 before! You're awesome!"

Nathan returned the high five and gave him a small smile. "Thanks," he said. "You're pretty good, too. I wish I had your jump shot."

"Lucas does have a great jump shot," Dan said, rising to his feet and picking up the rolling basketball. "But your ball handling is much better, Nathan. If we work on it, you two could make one of the best point guard and shooting guard combinations in the state."

Lucas sighed dramatically. "And here I thought that getting a new brother was going to mean less practice," he complained.

"Watch it," Dan said mildly, putting an arm around both boys and leading them toward the car. "Keep up the complaining and you're staying home tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?" Lucas asked, looking confused.

"It's the Fourth of July, isn't it?" Nathan asked quietly. His mom had always worked on the Fourth of July for the holiday pay, but around 10:00 pm she would always take a break and bring Nathan up to the roof of the bar. From there, they could see about three different fireworks displays at once. He had been remembering those times last night as he cried himself to sleep.

"You got it," Dan said, opening the back door for the boys and climbing in the driver's seat. "I can't believe you didn't remember, Lucas. Next to Christmas, the Fourth is your favorite holiday.

"Well, we have been kind of busy, Dad," Lucas said, rolling his eyes. "Are we going to the beach house like last year?"

"Yes, we are. I called your Uncle Keith last night and we made plans," Dan said, pulling away from the River Court and heading toward home. "He bringing the fireworks and your mom will take care of the food."

"Awesome!" Lucas cheered, turning to Nathan excitedly. "Uncle Keith is the best! He owns a garage, and he lets me come and work with him sometimes. Right now he's teaching me how to build an engine," he added proudly.

"Now how come you get so excited to go to work with Keith, but on Take Your Son to Work Day last year, you were completely sullen?" Dan asked, glancing back in the rear view mirror.

"Because your job is boring, Dad," Lucas stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He turned back to Nathan and said, "Dad and Uncle Keith both own the garage and the car dealership, but Dad doesn't know as much about cars, so he just sells them while Uncle Keith makes them run and look totally cool."

"Thanks, son," Dan said sarcastically. "Way to make your old man feel proud."

"Sorry, Dad," said Lucas, giving him a shrug. "I call it like I see it."

Dan shook his head. "Nathan, could you do me a favor and not hero worship your Uncle Keith like Lucas does? I love my big brother, but sometimes hearing how Lucas talks about him makes me feel a little inadequate."

"Aw, Dad, I didn't mean to make you feel bad," Lucas said quickly, leaning his head over the front seat. "You do cool stuff, too. Keith can't play basketball to save his life."

"Boy, you got that right," Dan laughed. "He was probably the worst player on our high school team. But somehow he still got all the girls."

"That's because you were with Mom," Lucas reminded him. "Speaking of girls, are all three of them coming tomorrow?"

"Yes, son, all three of your cousins are coming," Dan said. "I don't think Keith would leave his nine and ten year olds home alone on a holiday.

"We have cousins?" Nathan piped up. He had never had an uncle or cousins before. His mom's family wanted nothing to do with her after he was born.

"Yeah: Brooke, Peyton, and Haley," Lucas said. "Uncle Keith and Aunt Jules adopted them when they were really little. Brooke and Peyton are twins, and they're always together. Peyton's a little moody, but Brooke is always really happy, so they're like a big yin-yang. Haley's a year younger than us, but she's super smart, so she's in our grade. She's pretty quiet, but she's really nice."

Nathan nodded. "Cool. So, I have an Aunt, too?"

Lucas got quiet and looked up toward his Dad.

Dan cleared his throat. "Um, no, Nathan," he said quietly. "Jules was killed in a car accident a couple of years ago. Keith has been raising the girls alone ever since."

"Oh," Nathan said softly, shrinking back in his seat. "Sorry."

"It's okay, buddy, you didn't know," Dan said reassuringly. "And it's been a few years; we're all pretty well adjusted by now."

"Yeah," said Lucas, feeling bad that Nathan looked uncomfortable. "We miss Aunt Jules, but it's okay to talk about her."

"Yes, it is," said Dan, pulling the car into the driveway. "And if you want, you can talk about her while you help Karen in the kitchen. She's got a lot to do before tomorrow and she could use some help."

"Sheesh," Lucas complained, jumping out of the car. "Aren't there child labor laws anymore?"

"Get in the house, smart alec," Dan said, giving him a smack on the bottom. He smiled at Nathan and motioned for him to follow them into the house.

After taking a shower, which Karen insisted on, all three of the Scott men got to work. Dan was sent on numerous runs to the store for drinks, napkins, and various ingredients. Lucas was set to work peeling a gigantic mountain of potatoes for potato salad, while Nathan got the much more enjoyable job of helping Karen bake cookies and brownies.

"Good job, Nathan," Karen said approvingly, watching how carefully Nathan measured out ingredients. "Do you like to cook?"

"Sort of," Nathan said, shrugging his shoulders. "My mom was really busy, so I tried to help her. I can't make much, though."

"Well, if you decide you want to learn more, I would be happy to teach you. It would be nice to have a man in this house who was more of a help than a hindrance in the kitchen," she said, looking meaningfully over at Lucas.

Lucas looked up, his eyes opened in an innocent _"who, me?" _look, while he massacred yet another potato. Karen shook her head and went over to help him.

The next morning, Dan and Karen loaded up the car with food, drinks, and an overnight bag for each of them. They dragged a cranky Lucas and sleepy Nathan out of bed, made them each eat a bowl of cereal, and then got in the car to head to the beach. When they pulled up to the beach house, Nathan couldn't believe his eyes.

"This is your house, too?" he said in awe. It was even nicer than their actual house.

"Ours and Keith's," Dan said, stopping the car and popping the trunk to unload. "We bought it a couple of years back so we could have place to vacation without going far."

Nathan followed Lucas out of the car, still staring at the house in a trance, when all of a sudden the front door flew open and a brown haired girl ran out.

"Aunt Karen!" she shrieked, throwing herself at the older woman. "I missed you!"

"Well, I missed you too, Brooke," Karen said, laughing. "But I just saw you last week!"

"Which is just silly," Brooke said, flitting over to Dan and leaping on his back. "I am far too fabulous for you to be away from me that long!"

Dan chuckled, disentangling the girl from around his neck. "Brooke, this is…"

"Nathan!" Brooke squealed, throwing her arms around the unsuspecting boy. "Daddy told me all about you! I'm so glad you're in our family now! I'm going to be your best cousin ever!"

"Okay, Brooke, give him a little room to breathe," Dan said, gently pulling the girl away from him. "Where's your dad?"

"On the porch fixing the grill," she said happily. "Peyton and Haley are with him. Oh my gosh, come on! You have to meet everybody!" she shrieked, grabbing Nathan by the arm and tugging him toward the house.

"Lucas, why don't you go with them," Karen said quickly, seeing the look of utter bewilderment on Nathan's face. "Your dad and I will bring everything in the house."

"Okay," said Lucas, rushing forward and grabbing Brooke's other arm to slow her down. "So Brooke, you think you can hold onto your Chicken Fight champion title this year?"

"Oh, you bet I can," she teased. "Although, Nathan looks pretty strong…maybe he'll give me some competition this year," she added with a wink.

Nathan blushed a fire engine red, and Lucas laughed, coming over to walk next to him. "I told you Brooke was really happy, didn't I?" he whispered.

"Are they all like this?" Nathan asked, more than a little freaked out.

"Nah, Peyton and Haley are a lot calmer. And Brooke means well; she's just always been really…bouncy. She's really nice, though," he added loyally. "She would do anything for anybody."

"Daddy!" Brooke sang out as they walked through the house and toward the back porch. "Look who's here!"

"Uncle Keith!" Lucas yelled, running toward a sandy haired man who was loading charcoal into the grill.

"Lucas!" the man said, grabbing him up and swinging him around. "How's my favorite nephew doing?"

"Great!" Lucas said happily. "Guess what? I beat Dad in basketball yesterday!"

"Alright, kiddo!" Keith said, giving him a high five. "That's better than I ever did!"

"I had help, though," Lucas said, turning and smiling at Nathan.

Keith smiled and set Lucas down, walking over to Nathan and kneeling in front of him. "So, this must be my new favorite nephew," he said warmly. "It's good to meet you, Nathan."

"Nice to meet you, too, sir," Nathan said.

Keith chuckled. "Kid, nobody calls me sir, it makes me feel old. You call me Uncle Keith," he said wrapping the boy in a warm bear hug.

Nathan was surprised by the gesture, but he didn't tense up like he had the first time Dan had hugged him. Keith seemed less intimidating, somehow, and a little more relaxed.

"Okay," he said. "Uncle Keith."

"Good," Keith said, standing and putting his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Now that you've already met Tigger over there, these are the two more quiet members of the family," he said, gesturing to two girls who were standing by the porch railing.

"Hey Nathan," said a blond, curly haired girl with a friendly smile. "I'm Peyton."

"We're twins," Brooke chimed in, throwing her arm around Peyton's shoulder. "And now, we must be going. If we're going to spend the day on the beach, we must look fashionable. See you later!" With that, Brooke pranced off of the porch, Peyton in tow.

"Hence the nickname 'Tigger'," Keith said drily. "And last but not least, this is Haley."

A smaller girl with a sweet face and honey colored hair walked over to them. "Hi," she said sweetly, giving Nathan a shy smile.

Something about the girl's gentle eyes made Nathan feel instantly at ease. "Hi," he said, more confidently than he had spoken since arriving.

"Hey Haley," Lucas said, giving the younger girl a hug. "Mom made your favorite-chocolate chip cookies. Actually, Nathan made them, and mom helped."

"Really?" said Haley, her eyes shining as she looked at Nathan. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome," Nathan replied, giving her a genuine smile.

"You got that grill ready for me, big brother?" Dan called, as he and Karen headed in with the last of the stuff.

"Just gotta light it," Keith answered. "Try not to burn anything this year, okay Danny?"

"I second that request," Karen said, coming out on the porch and giving Keith a hug. "Hey Keith."

"It was one hot dog, and it fell into the grate," Dan said irritably, following his wife onto the porch.

"Lucas, why don't you and Haley show Nathan where you guys will be sleeping?" Karen suggested. "Then you can get into your bathing suits and we'll head down to the beach in a little while."

"Cool!" said Lucas. "Come on, Nathan, let's go!"

As the three kids headed off, Keith turned to his brother and sister-in-law. "So how's it going?"

"We're taking it one day at a time," said Dan, sitting on one of the deck chairs. "He seems to be getting a little more comfortable each day, which is a relief. I was afraid that having to punish him would backset us about six months."

"Hey, like I told you the other night, I support you 100% with that," Keith said. "I had to punish Brooke and Peyton only a few days after they came to live with us. But even though they were only four, I still think it made them feel safe and loved."

"That's what we were hoping for," Dan said, reaching out and taking his wife's hand.

"I think today will be really good for both of the boys," Karen said. "Lucas needs to relax and have fun after all the commotion of the past few days. And I'm hoping that Nathan might open up around the girls. After all, they have a lot in common-deceased mothers, being uprooted from homes."

"I talked to all three of them, and they know not to push him too hard," Keith said. "But I agree that it would be good if they could get him to talk about it. Maybe Haley will get him to open up. Nathan seemed a little more at ease around her. I think he's afraid of Brooke."

"_I'm _a little afraid of Brooke," Dan quipped, causing all three of the adults to laugh.

"DADDY!" screeched a high pitched voice from the house. "When is someone going to take us to the beach?"

Keith rolled his eyes. "I curse the day Jules took her to cheerleading camp," he groaned. "Ever since, she thinks she has to yell everything."

"I'll take her and Peyton," Karen said, heading into the house. "You two can follow with the boys and Haley. Coming, Brooke!"

**Well, there are Keith's little girls! I hope I captured them well-I feel like little Brooke has had one too many cups of coffee, but I find her endearing. Coming up next: A festive Fourth of July is had by all! At bedtime, Nathan starts to open up to his brother and cousins, until a huge storm strikes Tree Hill! Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everybody! Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed; it means a lot! Just a couple of quick notes based on your reviews. One, I don't know for sure how long this story will continue, but I'm not planning on making the kids much older than 13, if that. I may change my mind, but it's unlikely for this particular fic. The good news is that the kids won't be old enough to have any sort of serious love life, so there's no worry about who they will end up with since they're all related. Although, the girls are not related to the boys by blood, just to clarify. Two, if anyone has any suggestions on what you would like to see from this fic, feel free to let me know. If you'd like to see more of a certain character or see the kids get into a certain kind of trouble, PM me or review. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

The Scott Family's Fourth of July holiday turned out to be a major success. The day began with the annual Chicken Fight tournament. Brooke won easily, but only because Nathan was still slightly scared of her and she threw water in Lucas's eyes during the final battle. Her celebrating didn't last long, however, since Keith caught the water throwing incident and hauled her out of the ocean for a stern lecture and a swat. After a huge picnic lunch, the five kids built sandcastles, buried each other, and jumped the waves, while Dan and Keith got the fireworks set up for the evening. Later that evening, Dan grilled hot dog and burgers for everyone, and for once, the fire extinguisher did not need to be put to use.

The family ended their day with a huge firework spectacular on the beach. Keith let each of the kids, under heavy supervision, set off one of the fireworks. After the big fireworks were gone, the kids were allowed to run on the beach with sparklers until the exhausted adults finally told them it was time to turn in.

Despite a large amount of protests, particularly from Brooke and Lucas, an hour later the adults were sound asleep, while the kids lay awake together in the huge family room. There were enough beds in the house for each of them, Lucas had explained to Nathan, but it was a tradition on holidays for all of the kids to have a slumber party. So, the kids had spread out blankets and pillows in a circle on the floor, and they lay there and talked for what seemed like forever. Nathan did more listening that talking, but he found himself smiling a lot more than he had since his mom had gotten sick.

Peyton had just finished making fun of Lucas for tripping and knocking over his sand castle when Brooke turned to Nathan and asked, "So Nathan, do you like living with Uncle Dan and Aunt Karen?"

"Brooke," Peyton chided. "Way to be nosy."

"I'm just asking," Brooke replied, elbowing her sister. "Personally, I think Aunt Karen is totally awesome. She even dresses pretty cool for a mom. Uncle Dan is kinda hard to get, but once he lets you in he's a total teddy bear."

Nathan just stared at her, completely baffled by this spitfire, chatty little brunette. He had been debating all day as to whether there was something not quite right in her head, and now that he had heard her refer to Dan as a teddy bear, he was positive she should be committed.

"Um…I guess it's okay," he said, looking down and picking at his pillow case. "They're nice and all. I like my room."

"I'll bet you miss your mom, huh?" Peyton said sympathetically. "Our mom died too."

"Both of our moms," Brooke said, putting her arm around her sister. "First our birth mom died, and then our adoptive mom died too. Now all we have is Daddy and each other."

"I'm sorry your mom died," Nathan said, raising his eyes a little. "I'll bet you miss her."

Haley, who had been lying next to Nathan and not saying much, suddenly reached out her hand and patted Nathan on the back.

"It's okay if you miss your mom, too," she said softly. "Whenever I miss Mommy, I like to talk about her. Then it's like she's still here."

"Do you want to talk about her, Nathan?" Peyton asked gently.

Nathan looked around at the four kids who were now supposed to be his family. Haley looked comforting, Brooke curious, Peyton sympathetic, and Luke concerned. Nathan hadn't really wanted to talk about his mom to the social workers and other adults who kept questioning him. But looking at the four faces surrounding him, three of which had felt the loss that he had, he suddenly felt an urge to talk about Deb.

He clutched his pillow to his chest and took a deep breath. "She was really pretty," he said slowly. "She had blond hair and really big brown eyes. And she gave really good hugs."

He paused, checking to see if the others were looking at him weird, but they all nodded at him encouragingly.

"She loved music," he said, his voice getting stronger as he gained momentum. "She used to play music all the time, even when we were eating. And at night, before I went to bed, she would sing to me. Elvis or country or something like that, usually."

"Mommy used to sing to us, too," Haley remembered wistfully. "Her favorite was the Beatles."

"Yeah," Brooke said softly, leaning her head on Peyton's shoulder.

Lucas was feeling slightly uncomfortable, seeing how he was the only one in the room whose mother was still alive. "My mom sings to me when I'm sick," he ventured. "She likes country music, too."

"Aunt Karen has a pretty voice," Brooke commented. "You should have her sing to you sometime, Nathan. Maybe it will make you miss your mom a little less."

"Maybe," Nathan said quietly, picking at his pillow again.

The kids all lay in silence for a while, most of them remembering, when all of a sudden, rain started pounding on the roof, and a huge flash of lightening lit the sky.

All five of the kids jumped as a violent thunderbolt crashed in the night, echoing throughout the house.

"Mom always used to sit with me during thunderstorms, too," Nathan said nervously, clutching his pillow a little bit tighter. He didn't want to seem like a wimp, but he was really freaked out by thunder.

"Mommy used to hold me and cover my ears when there was a storm," Haley whimpered, clutching her teddy bear to her chest as another clap of thunder rang out.

Peyton wasn't overly scared of thunder, but she was very protective of her little sister, and she could see that Haley was frightened. She nudged Brooke and said, "Maybe we should go see if Dad will let us stay with him tonight?"

Brooke looked a little surprised, knowing that her twin was usually pretty chill about storms, but she saw Peyton giving a meaningful glance toward Haley. Realizing that Peyton didn't want Haley to be embarrassed for being scared, she quickly stood up.

"Yeah, I'd feel safer if I was with Daddy," Brooke said, reaching a hand down to Haley. "Will you come with us, Haley-Bop?"

Haley nodded urgently, jumping from her makeshift bed and clutching Brooke's hand tightly. As they started to leave the room, she turned back to Nathan. "Will you be okay?" she asked softly.

Nathan was feeling just as freaked out as she was, but he didn't want to admit that to a little girl who was younger than him. "Yeah, we're fine," he said, with a lot more confidence than he felt.

"Well, Lucas knows where Aunt Karen and Uncle Dan are if you guys get scared," Peyton said, walking over and taking Haley's other hand. "Goodnight, guys."

The three girls headed down the hallway to where Keith was sleeping. Peyton raised her hand to knock in the door, but Brooke opened it before she got a chance.

"Daddy!" she said, in the Brooke Scott version of a stage whisper. "Are you awake?"

Keith rolled over toward the door. He had been sleeping soundly until the storm started, but once the thunder woke him up, he had fought going back to sleep, knowing that at least Haley would soon be joining him.

"Yeah, couldn't sleep," he said, giving the three girls a smile and lifting the covers up. "Care to come protect your old man from the storm?"

Haley came rushing toward the bed and dove in next to him, while Brooke and Peyton went around and got in on the other side. Keith waited until they were all settled, then pulled the covers up to the girls' chins and put his arms around the three of them.

"Daddy," Haley said, snuggling into Keith's side. "I wish Nathan wasn't so sad."

"Me too, Haley-Bop," Keith said, holding her close. "Did he talk to you at all tonight?"

"A little," Peyton said. "He told us some stuff about his mom, but not much. I can tell he really misses her."

"I'm sure he does," Keith said. "But I'm proud that you girls got him to open up a little bit. You know that it helps to talk about the people you miss and love."

"Like Mommy," Brooke said softly, leaning her head on Peyton's shoulder.

"Yeah," Keith said, leaning down and giving her a kiss on top of the head. "Mommy would also be very proud of you."

"Daddy?" Haley asked quietly. "Will you sing to us like Mommy used to?"

Keith raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that, Baby? You know I don't sing very well."

"I don't care," Haley said, closing her eyes and cuddling closer.

Keith looked over at Brooke and Peyton, who both nodded their agreement. Keith smiled and began to sing "Here Comes the Sun" in a deep, rough voice. The other girls closed their eyes contentedly, and soon the three Scott daughters were sound asleep, oblivious to the raging storm outside.

The two Scott brothers, however, were not oblivious to the raging storm outside. Ever since the girls had left, Lucas and Nathan had been lying in awkward silence; both too frightened to go to sleep, but too uncomfortable to talk to each other. They hadn't been left alone together since their fight, and neither one was sure what to say.

Lucas glanced at Nathan out of the corner of his eye. He could tell that Nathan was freaked out. He had been watching his brother all day, and during all of the fun Fourth activities, Nathan had really started to loosen up and enjoy himself, even though he still didn't say much. Lucas was starting to think he would really like having him for a brother, but he didn't know how to tell him that. Finally, as a flash of lightening lit up the entire room, Lucas turned over and looked at Nathan.

"Look, I've never had a brother before, and from what Dad and Uncle Keith have told me, we're supposed to tease each other and fight a lot," he said awkwardly. "But between you and me, I really hate thunder. And if you wanted to come with me into Mom and Dad's room for the night, I won't tease you, as long as you don't tease me."

Nathan looked at him uncertainly for a moment, before the loudest clap of thunder yet shook the roof of the house. "Deal," he said hurriedly, and the two boys sprang to their feet and hurried down the hallway.

Dan was completely dead to the world, but Karen had been a light sleeper ever since Lucas was born, and she quickly awoke to the sound of a tentative knock on the door.

"Come in," she said, shoving Dan awake. Both adults were surprised to see not only Lucas, but Nathan standing on the other side of the door.

"What are you guys doing up this late?" Dan asked, sitting up and rubbing his bleary eyes. He was so tired he didn't even realize that there was a storm brewing outside. "We told you to go to bed hours ago."

"Oh…um, sorry," Lucas stammered, looking a little embarrassed.

Karen kicked Dan under the covers and gave him a look. "Why don't you guys come in here with us?" she offered. "I'm having a hard time sleeping because of the storm, so I could use some company." Dan groaned inwardly as he realized there was a storm. Lucas had been jumping into their bed during storms since he had learned to climb out of his crib.

"Are you sure it's okay?" Lucas asked, glancing over at Dan.

"Of course it is, Luke," Dan said reassuringly. "Come on, get over here.

"Well, if you insist," Lucas said gratefully, jumping on the bed and crawling between his parents. Nathan stood there uncertainly, but Dan noticed his shyness and sat up.

"Come on, Nate," he said warmly, patting the space between him and Lucas. "This is why we have a king size bed-plenty of room for everyone."

Nathan hovered in the doorway until a clap of thunder convinced him that the bed was the safer place to be. He hurried over to Dan, who lifted him up easily into the bed.

"Come on, boys, lie down and try to close your eyes," Karen said, putting an arm around Lucas and holding him close. Dan did the same with Nathan, and Nathan soon found himself curled up into Dan's chest.

Karen began to hum softly, stroking Lucas's hair as she did so. Nathan closed his eyes, trying to remember the feeling of Deb singing and stroking his hair. He couldn't remember it exactly, but he knew it made him feel safe. Yet somehow, listening to Karen hum while Dan's strong arms protected him, he felt almost as safe as he had with his mother.

**Well, there you have it! I hope this chapter was okay-I'm still recovering from the flu. Coming up next: Dan goes away for a few days and leaves Karen with the boys. Oh, the drama. Please review if you get a chance, it encourages me to update sooner!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi everyone! So, I'm getting a lot of hits on this story, but not too many reviews. If you guys like the story, please let me know! It's nice to know that you're not just writing for yourself. Also, thanks to everyone who has given me suggestions for further chapters in this story. The offer still stands: if there are any character interactions or specific plots you would like me to explore, please let me know! I'm more than happy to listen to any suggestions. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

After the holiday weekend at the beach, Nathan began to show a marked improvement in his life. He spoke without needing to be spoken to, his appetite was exactly as a growing boy's should be, and he seemed to be sleeping well. He and Lucas were becoming a lot closer. They weren't having any heartfelt conversations, but they were having fun shooting hoops and playing video games together.

Nathan was also starting to become more at ease with Dan. He no longer stiffened up when Dan gave him a hug or placed a hand on his shoulder. He willingly engaged in conversations with his father, and he was even allowing Dan to tuck him in at night.

The one area where Nathan was not showing any improvement in was his interactions with Karen. He wasn't being impolite or rude, exactly, but he wasn't making nearly as much of an effort with her. He still answered all of her questions with short, non-committal answers, and he never went to her if he needed anything. But what concerned Dan and Karen was that Nathan seemed to be making a conscious effort not to form a relationship with her. Sometimes, when she would speak to him, he would start to answer, but stop himself. It was like he had to think deliberately about keeping his words as bland and uninterested as possible.

Karen didn't really take it personally; she knew that despite their earlier conversation, Nathan still perceived her as a threat to his mother, and she didn't want to push him. Dan, however, was starting to get a little bit fed up. Karen had gone out of her way to make the boy feel accepted and cared for her, and Dan perceived Nathan's behavior as rude and disrespectful at times. He had grumbled to Karen that if the boy's attitude didn't improve, he was going to make it improve, but Karen had rebuked him for that and told him to let Nathan come to her in his own time.

Nathan's attitude toward Karen was causing Dan a great deal of concern on the morning of August 1st. He had been minimizing his schedule at work as much as he could since Nathan had come to live with them, but he had a meeting with his investors in Charleston that he couldn't put off any longer. He was going to have to go away for two full days, and the thought of leaving a sullen Nathan with Karen was making him nervous.

"Are you absolutely sure you're going to be okay?" he asked Karen worriedly, as they sat together at the counter eating scrambled eggs. "You know how difficult ten-year-old boys can be, even when they don't have issues with their stepmothers."

"Dan, for the last time, I will be fine," Karen said exasperatedly. "It isn't like Nathan is being disobedient or disrespectful. He just doesn't want to open up to me yet, and that's fine. I knew going into this that it would be a long time before he and I could form any kind of relationship."

"Alright," Dan said grudgingly. "But if you have any problems whatsoever, you call me right away. I promise I will leave my phone on. And if I can't get away and you need someone else to handle him, you call Keith."

"No one is going to have to 'handle' anybody, Dan," Karen said, rolling her eyes. "I still don't understand why you're so concerned about this. I think Nathan has come a long way in the past few weeks."

"I know," Dan said with a sigh. "I just wish he would realize how lucky he is to have you in his life. God knows I do," he added softly.

"Oh, you think you're lucky, huh?" Karen asked, leaning in toward him with a sly smile on her face. "And just how lucky do you think you are?"

Dan returned the smile and leaned in, giving her a slow, passionate kiss. They each moved to put their arms around each other, but they were interrupted when Lucas came padding into the room.

"Ew, gross!" he said in disgust. "That's gonna give me nightmares!"

Karen and Dan broke apart, giving each other a sheepish smile. "And good morning to you, too," Karen said with a laugh. "Where's your brother?"

"Umm…he kinda said that he wasn't coming down," Lucas said, shifting uncomfortably. "He wouldn't tell me why. He just said to leave him alone. So considering what happened last time I tried to get him to come down, I bolted."

Dan turned to Karen and raised his eyebrow. "Not being disobedient and disrespectful, hm?" he said, his temper obviously flaring up. "He's been with us long enough to know that refusing to come to breakfast is not an option. If he thinks he's going to stay in his room and be sullen while I'm gone, he's got another think coming."

With that, Dan rose to his feet and started to head out of the kitchen, only to be stopped by a sharp word from Karen.

"Dan, hold it right there!" she ordered. Turning to Lucas, she said "Sweetheart, you go ahead and fix yourself some juice, and I'll be back down to make you some eggs in a few minutes. Your father and I are going to go _talk _to Nathan," she added emphatically, turning back to Dan. "I'm sure there is a perfectly good reason why he doesn't want to come downstairs."

"Okay," Lucas said quietly, looking at his Dad and feeling bad for Nathan.

Karen walked purposefully out of the room and up the stairs, leaving Dan to follow her in frustration. "I mean it, Dan," Karen said firmly, not even bothering to look back at him. "All we are going to do when we get up there is talk to him. If he is just being disobedient, we can talk punishment, but until then, you keep that temper of yours check."

Dan rolled his eyes, wondering why when the boys were in trouble; he often ended up being the one scolded.

"Nathan," Karen said calmly, opening the boy's bedroom door. "You want to tell us why you're not coming down for breakfast?"

"Don't want to," Nathan mumbled, his back turned towards the door.

"That's not a good enough answer, young man," Dan said sternly. "You know the rules about coming down for breakfast, even if you're not hungry."

"I don't feel good," Nathan said, rolling over to look at them, but not meeting their eyes.

Dan thought the boy looked perfectly fine, and he opened his mouth to rebuke him again, but Karen cut him off. "How do you not feel good, Nathan?" she asked gently, coming over and kneeling next to his bed.

"Stomach hurts," Nathan said quietly, still avoiding her gaze.

Karen reached out her hand and felt his forehead. "Well, you don't have a fever," she said. "But if your stomach hurts, you don't have to come down for breakfast. Do you want me to bring you some toast?"

"Not hungry," Nathan replied, turning back over and looking away.

"Alright," Karen said with concern, rubbing his back a little before standing up. "Well, your Dad has to leave for Charleston in a few minutes. But I'll be downstairs if you need anything, and I'll come check on you in a little bit, okay?"

Nathan didn't respond, just curled up smaller under his blanket. Dan glared, but a sharp look from Karen cut off his lecture before it could begin. "Behave yourself, Nathan," he said shortly, walking out of the room.

Karen stopped him after she quickly shut the bedroom door. "Dan, what is wrong with you?" she hissed.

"Karen, you said yourself that he didn't have a fever," Dan said in frustration. "Doesn't it strike you as odd that Nathan mysteriously got sick right as I have to leave town? This could be some ploy to get me to stay, or an excuse to avoid spending time with you."

"And if it is, so be it," Karen said firmly. "But until proven otherwise, I'm choosing to trust Nathan. He doesn't strike me as a liar. If he says he doesn't feel well, I believe him."

Dan sighed and put his arms around her in an embrace. "Okay," he said resignedly. "I hope you're right. Promise you'll keep me posted while I'm gone."

"Promise," Karen said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Come on; you've got to hit the road and I've got at least one hungry boy to feed."

Several hours later, Nathan still hadn't come out of his room. Lucas had given up trying to talk to him, and was playing a game on the computer in his Dad's study. Karen was sitting in the living room reading a book when she heard two separate doors slam upstairs. She got quickly to her feet and hurried up the stairs.

"Nathan?" she called, checking his bedroom and finding it empty. "Where are you?"

The unmistakable sounds of retching echoed from the bathroom, and Karen opened the door to find Nathan kneeling by the toilet, expelling the entire contents of his stomach.

"Oh Nathan," she said sympathetically, sitting down next to him and feeling his forehead, which, to her alarm, was burning up. "Honey, you should have come told me you were feeling so bad."

Nathan dry-heaved and slumped against the bathroom wall. "I heard what Dad said," he responded weakly. "I was afraid you'd think I was lying."

"Oh, sweetheart, you don't ever have to be afraid to tell us you're sick," Karen reassured him, making a mental note to kick Dan's ass once he got home. "Tell me exactly what hurts."

"Everything," he said pitifully, a tear escaping from his eye. "But mostly here," he said, gesturing to the right side of his stomach.

Karen took a deep breath. "Sweetie, I think that might be your appendix," she said gently. "I'm going to have to take you to the emergency room, okay? We'll get the doctor to make you feel better."

"The hospital?" Nathan asked, his eyes going wide with fear. "That's where mom died."

"Oh Baby, you're not going to die," Karen soothed. "I promise you, I will stay with you the whole time and you'll be safe. Do you trust me?"

Karen was afraid that she was going to have to take Nathan to the hospital by force. But Nathan had not only heard what Dan said earlier. He had heard Karen say that she trusted him, and even though he was feeling terrible, he felt a strange sort of ease wash over him when he heard her say that.

Nathan nodded, and Karen breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you think you can walk down to the car?" she asked, brushing his hair back from his sweaty forehead.

"Yeah," Nathan said, and he struggled to his feet. He took about two steps before he doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. "It really hurts!" he moaned, gripping the sink for support.

"I know, sweetie, the doctor will make the pain go away," Karen said worriedly. Without hesitation, she scooped Nathan up in her arms as though he were a toddler and carried him downstairs.

"Lucas!" she called, trying to keep the panic she felt out of her voice. "Get your shoes on now! We need to take Nathan to the doctor."

Lucas hurried out of the study, looking confused, then alarmed as he saw Nathan cradled in his mother's arm. "Is he okay?" he said, not hiding his panic nearly as well as Karen.

"He'll be fine, but we have to go now," Karen said, grabbing her purse out of the kitchen. "Come on, we'll call your dad from the hospital."

Four hours later, a much frazzled Dan came running into the waiting room of Tree Hill General. He looked frantically around for Karen, and his breath caught in his throat when he saw Keith sitting with Lucas.

"Keith," he said, hurrying over to his brother. "What's going on? Is he okay?"

"He's fine, Danny," Keith reassured him, standing up and giving his little brother a hug. "He just got out of surgery, and we're waiting for him to wake up. Karen's sitting with him now in room 211."

"I should go to her," Dan said distractedly, when he caught Lucas out of the corner of his eye. "Are you okay, buddy?" he asked, putting his arms around his oldest son.

"I'm fine," Lucas said, his voice muffled against Dan's shirt. "I was really scared, though. Nathan was crying and yelling the whole way over here."

"Dan, now that you're here, I think I'm going to take Lucas home with me and get him something to eat," Keith said. "He's had a long day, and I can't leave the girls home alone much longer. I'll stop by your house and we'll get his stuff so he can spend the night."

"Thanks Keith," Dan said, pulling back from his embrace with Lucas and looking down into his son's eyes. "Thank you for being such a trooper," he said, ruffling his hair. "Your mom and I will call you tonight, okay?"

"Okay, Dad," Lucas said, stepping back and allowing Keith to put his arm around him. "Tell Nathan I hope he feels better."

"I will," Dan promised. He waited until Keith had led Lucas out of the waiting room, and then hurried to find room 211.

"Karen?" he said softly, entering the small hospital room. Karen looked up from watching a sleeping Nathan. Her eyes were weary and slightly bloodshot, but they lit up with relief when they saw her husband.

"Oh Dan," she said, running over into his waiting arms. "I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life. The doctor said his appendix was severely inflamed. A few more hours and it might have burst."

Dan took a ragged breath as he pressed his forehead against his wife's hair. "And I thought he was faking it…God, Karen, how stupid can I get? He could have died!"

"No," Karen said, pulling away and taking his face in her hands. "The doctor said it was a rapid onset. Even if you had taken him seriously this morning, the other symptoms weren't noticeable until I caught them. You did nothing to hurt Nathan physically, although I do think you hurt his feelings by not believing him."

"I swear I'll make it up to him," Dan said in a strangled voice, his eyes filling with tears as he looked over at the fragile little boy lying in the hospital bed. "How long will he have to stay here?"

"The doctor said we can take him home tomorrow, but he'll need to be on bed rest for the next two weeks," Karen said, reaching up and brushing a tear from Dan's eye. "Why don't you go sit with him for a minute? I haven't been to the bathroom in the past six hours."

"You go ahead," Dan said, kissing her again and letting her leave the room. He went over to the chair she had vacated and sat down, gazing sadly at his youngest son.

"I'm so sorry, Natey," he said softly, reaching out and taking the little boy's hand. He sat there for a few minutes, his eyes fixated on Nathan, when all of a sudden he felt the small hand twitch.

Nathan moaned slightly, his eyes flickering open slowly as they adjusted to the bright light of the hospital room. His head flopped to the side as he looked up at Dan.

"Dad?" he said, sounding confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, buddy," Dan said, squeezing his hand gently. "I came home because you got sick. You had to have your appendix taken out."

"Oh…yeah," Nathan said, his thoughts starting to become coherent again. His eyes suddenly took on a panicked expression. "Where's Mom?" he asked anxiously.

Dan froze. He didn't think that an appendectomy caused memory loss, but maybe Nathan had been traumatized.

"Nathan," he said awkwardly. "Your mom isn't here."

Nathan's eyes filled with frightened tears. "But she promised she'd be here," he insisted. "She said she'd stay with me and keep me safe."

Dan stared at him helplessly, not knowing what to say, when he heard footsteps approaching the door.

"Dan?" Karen said worriedly. "Is everything okay?"

Dan looked at her in concern, not noticing when Nathan heaved a sigh of relief.

"Mom," Nathan whispered. "I didn't know where you were."

Both Karen and Dan looked at him in shock. Dan remained utterly frozen, but Karen didn't hesitate as she hurried over to his side and sat down next to him on the bed.

"I'm right here, baby," she said softly. "Mama's right here." And as Dan watched with a flood of emotions coursing through him, Karen embraced the little boy who was finally her son.

**Well, probably not the drama you guys were expecting, huh? I hope everyone likes the chapter-I really wanted to solidify everyone as a family so I could tell some more fun stories, and I thought that this was the best way to do it. Coming up next: I'm seeing a last hurrah for the Scott boys and their three darling cousins before school begins. They'll probably have fun, but I doubt their parents will be amused. Please read and review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! This ended up being my longest chapter yet, so I hope you like it! Not as much of a tearjerker as the last one, but still a bit emotional. Enjoy!**

Dan awoke with a start as he heard his cell phone ringing shrilly on the nightstand. He groaned and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He and Karen had spent a rough two weeks taking care of Nathan as he recovered from his appendectomy. Besides having to wait on Nathan hand and foot, the two adults had Dan Scott Motors and Karen's Café to run, plus they had to get everything ready for Nathan and Lucas's first day of school in just three days.

Dan grudgingly reached over and picked up his cell phone, if just to stop the incessant ringing. He was hoping it was a wrong number, but he felt a twinge of concern when he saw Keith's name on the caller id.

"Keith, what's wrong?" he asked, giving Karen a sympathetic smile as she rolled over and looked at him in exhaustion. He abruptly pulled the phone away from his ear as Keith started yelling from the other end.

"Okay, Keith, calm down," Dan said, sitting up as he listened to his brother's distress. "Have you checked everywhere? You're sure they didn't just fall asleep in another room?"

Karen sat up too as Keith's volume increased, and Dan shot her a worried glance. "Alright, let's not panic just yet. You get in your car and drive over here. I'll go see if the boys know anything about where they might be, and as soon as you're here, you and I will go look for them."

"What's going on?" Karen asked as Dan hung up the phone.

"The girls are missing," Dan said, hurriedly throwing on a sweatshirt to go with his sweatpants. "Keith put them to bed two hours ago. He went to check on them and they were gone."

"Oh God," Karen said, jumping out of bed as well. "Does Keith have any idea where they could have gone?"

"No, but he's hoping Lucas or Nathan will," Dan said, heading down the hallway and opening Lucas's bedroom door. He started over to the bed to shake the boy awake, but he stopped dead in his tracks halfway there.

"Shit," he cursed, running out of the room and next door to Nathan's. A quick glance inside told him all he needed to know. "The boys are gone, too."

"What?" Karen said incredulously, running into Nathan's room and throwing back the covers, as if she thought Dan was mistaken. "Oh my god! Dan, what if they've been kidnapped? What if they're hurt? What if…"

"Karen, just calm down," Dan said sharply, though he was feeling anything but calm himself. "The odds that all five of them were kidnapped within the past two hours are fairly slim. They probably snuck out somewhere together."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Karen retorted shrilly. "It's dark, Dan! We've have a lot of rain, and the roads and grass are slippery and dangerous. They could have been grabbed by child molesters and be halfway to the state line by now!"

Tears started to stream down Karen's face as she imagined all the horrible things that could be happening to her babies. Dan was feeling pretty grim himself, but he knew he had to remain strong and steady for Karen. He took her in his arms and gave her a warm hug.

"Sweetheart, it's going to be alright," he soothed, praying silently that he wasn't lying to her. "Keith will be here in a few minutes, and he and I will go look for them. You can wait here by the phone in case they call, and you can call some of their friends' parents, too. Keith said he would call the police on his way over."

Eventually, Dan managed to get a sobbing Karen down the stairs and into the kitchen, where he began to fix a pot of coffee. As soon as the timer went off, indicating that the coffee was ready, Keith burst through the side door.

"I looked through the streets on my way over here," Keith said breathlessly. "But no sign of them anywhere."

Karen took a sharp breath as fresh tears poured down her face, and Dan walked over to her and put his arms around her.

"Honey, please calm down," he said softly. "I can't go out and look for the boys unless I know you're going to be alright."

Karen swallowed hard and tried to quell her sobs. "I'll be alright," she choked out. "Please, just go bring them home."

Dan gave her a kiss on top of the head, and without another word, he and Keith headed to the side door. They opened it with the intention of jumping straight into their cars, but both of them stopped cold before they made it two steps. To their horror, a pair of cop cars was pulling in front of the house.

"Oh God," Keith said, his face turning a shade paler then white. Dan quickly reached out a hand and placed it on his brother's shoulder, trying to steady him.

"Karen," Dan called, trying to mask the fear in his own voice. His wife was beside him in half a second, and she gave a gasp of fright. For four horrible seconds, the three parents stood in the threshold, every fear they had ever had for their children playing through their minds, when a cop stepped out of each car.

"Evening folks," one of the officers said, opening the back door of the first car. "I think we have some things that belong to you." He held the door open, and an extremely scared looking Nathan stepped out, followed by an abashed Lucas.

"Nathan!" Karen shrieked, shoving her way past Dan and Keith and rushing over to her boys. "Lucas! Oh my boys, I was so worried about you!" She grabbed them both in her arms, covering them with kisses and squeezing them tightly, like she was afraid they would disappear if she didn't hang on.

The second cop helped a grumpy looking Peyton and a guilty looking Brooke out of the car, before reaching in and lifting out Haley in his arms. The youngest girl was teary eyed and sniffling, and she had a large piece of gauze taped to her left arm.

"What happened?" Keith said, running toward the little girl in alarm. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine, sir," the officer said, handing Haley over to her father. "Your kids, along with over half the fifth grade at Tree Hill Elementary, decided to hold a little end of the summer bash at the playground down by the river. We got a couple of calls from people living nearby about noise and possible vandalism, and several calls from frantic parents worried about their kids. When we showed up, a bunch of the kids tried to run. Your little girl got knocked over and scraped up her arm pretty bad. We cleaned it up, though, so she should be alright in a few days."

"Thank God," Keith said, holding Haley close to his chest. He looked down at his twins girls and said, with a raised eyebrow, "You mind telling me what this nice officer means by 'vandalism'?"

"I'd like to know the same thing," Dan said, who had finally managed to pry Karen off of the boys and was checking them over for bumps and bruises himself.

"We didn't do anything like that!" Lucas protested. "I swear everyone was just hanging out! We made noise, but nothing got destroyed or anything!"

"Be that at is may, son, you kids were out well past curfew," the first cop said. "You made your parents worry and you were disturbing the peace."

"We were just having fun," Peyton grumbled, scuffing her shoe into the ground.

"You be quiet," Keith ordered, his relief and concern being overtaken by anger. "Officers, I assume you won't be pressing charges?"

"No, I think we'll let it slide this time. They really were just having some fun, and it would be pretty hard to prosecute over thirty ten year olds," the first cop said drily. "Speaking of, if you folks have this under control, we need to be heading back. There are still some kids at the playground who need to be taken home."

"Of course," Dan said, rising to his feet and shaking hands with the two men. "Thank you, officers." When the cop cars had driven off, he and Keith exchanged a brief glance before looking down at their respective children. "In the house!" Dan barked, causing Nathan to jump. "_Now_!"

Two minutes later, all of the children were lined up on the couch facing three very angry adults. Lucas sat on one end next to Nathan. Haley was in the middle, between Nathan and Brooke, while Peyton was slouched against the opposite end.

"Let me make sure I've got this," Dan said, his eyes scanning each of the kids in turn. "You snuck out of your bedrooms, well after dark, on a rainy night, walked a _mile and a half_ across town, to play on the damn _playground_?"

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" Keith said, his expression more disbelieving than angry. "You could have been kidnapped, run over, or hurt even worse than Haley already is!"

"Not to mention we were worried _sick _about you!" Karen said, her worry long since changing into fury.

"But we weren't kidnapped!" Peyton said testily, a little angry that her late evening escapade had been ruined. "We were careful. We looked both ways before crossing the street, we stayed together, and if we hadn't pulled Haley up after she got knocked over, she might have been hurt worse!"

"Yeah," Lucas chimed in, emboldened by his cousin's brazen attitude. "And besides, you couldn't have been that worried. The cops got a radio message that Uncle Keith had called only five minutes before we got to the house."

"You think it's all okay because we only missed you for five minutes?" Karen yelled, her temper gone completely. She was much slower to anger than Dan, but once she got going, it was a scary sight. "Do you have any idea what can go through a parent's mind in five minutes, Lucas Eugene? For five minutes, I didn't know whether you were hurt, kidnapped, or lying dead in a ditch somewhere!"

"And you stopped being careful the minute you decided to sneak out," Keith interjected harshly, turning a frightening glare on Peyton. "How dare you put me through this? I've already lost your mother-can you imagine how much it would break my heart if I lost any of you? I can't believe you would be so insensitive and thoughtless!"

At this point in the lecture, Haley was curled up into Brooke's side, sobbing as though someone had just run over her puppy. Brooke and Nathan were both looking a little teary-eyed too, and while Peyton and Lucas weren't crying, they both looked properly chastised.

"Keith, Karen, can I talk to you outside for a minute?" Dan asked. He was feeling a little uneasy-usually, Karen and Keith were the ones who remained calm, while he flew off the handle. But none of the kids had ever misbehaved this seriously before, so it stood to reason that things would be a little off-kilter. The other two adults nodded and headed toward the hall.

"I don't want to hear a sound out of this room," Keith said sternly, closing the door behind him before the kids had a chance to respond. He leaned against the wall and sighed, scrubbing his face with his hand.

"Alright, I think we need to split the kids up and get everyone to bed," Dan said with finality. "Much as it's making me feel better to watch them quell from our scathing words, it's probably not the most prudent thing to be doing at 12:30 in the morning."

"You're right," Keith said tiredly. "As mad as I am right now, I'm liable to grab the first one that opens their mouth again and light their butt on fire."

"Not if I beat you to it," Karen quipped.

"I can't speak for you, big bro, but I can definitely speak for myself and Karen when I say that Nate and Luke aren't going to be sitting comfortably for a while," Dan said resignedly.

"Neither are the girls," Keith agreed. "I'm going to wait until I can talk to them some more tomorrow, though. I would feel guilty spanking Haley when she's already been hurt; and besides, something tells me that she did not go on her own free will."

The kids jumped as the door to the living room opened again. "Girls, we're leaving," Keith said firmly. "Tomorrow you can call your aunt and uncle and apologize for all the trouble you've caused."

The girls got up and followed their father out the door, Brooke shooting a look back at the boys that was a combination of sympathy and fear. Once they were gone, Dan and Karen walked over and sat down on the coffee table facing the boys.

"I don't think I have ever been this scared or this angry in my entire life," Karen said tightly, her emotions starting to get under control. "What on earth possessed you to do this?"

"We're sorry," Lucas said meekly. "I heard about it from Skills, and I thought it would be fun. I was the one that made Nathan go."

"No, you didn't," Nathan argued. "I was sick of being cooped up in the house because of my surgery. I wanted to go just as much as you did."

Karen's eyes softened as each boy rushed to defend the other, and she felt a good deal of her anger melt away. She and Dan shared a quick glance that showed he was equally as proud.

"Boys, you both snuck out of this house, you both went to the playground, and you both ended up being brought home by the cops," Dan said firmly. "And you both have to be punished for that."

"But we'll deal with that in the morning," Karen added. "Right now, I want both of you up in bed, and this time I want you to stay there."

Lucas nodded in resignation, and started to stand up, but Nathan took a deep breath and looked at his parents. "Could you…could you maybe do it now?" he asked softly.

Dan raised an eyebrow at him. "Could we do what? Punish you?" he asked, not sure he knew what Nathan meant.

Nathan shifted uncomfortable. "It's just…I feel really bad for what we did," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't think I can sleep feeling this guilty. I mean, I don't want to be punished, but…" he trailed off.

Lucas sat back down next to his brother. "I kinda get what he's saying," he said reluctantly. "I feel bad too, and I'm really sorry. Could we just get the worst part over with?"

Dan and Karen looked at each other and had a silent conversation with their eyes. "Alright," Karen said, standing up and giving Dan's shoulder a quick squeeze. "I'm going to leave this part to your father. I'll be back when he's done with you."

Once Karen had left the room, Dan regarded each of his boys. Nathan was decidedly more upset than Lucas, so Dan made the choice to deal with him first.

"I don't think it's going to help any of us if I yell at you guys anymore, is it?" Dan asked seriously. When both of the boys nodded in agreement, he rolled up the sleeves of his sweatshirt. "Lucas, I want you in the corner. Nathan, come here," he ordered.

Lucas walked quickly over to the corner, obviously a little relieved that his butt wasn't the first to be in the line of fire. Nathan bit his lip and approached Dan's side nervously.

Dan didn't waste any time guiding his youngest over his lap. Nathan went over without complaint, but he gave a little squeak of fear when Dan tugged his basketball shorts and underwear down to his knees. Dan placed his hand on the back of Nathan's leg and said sternly, "This is going to hurt, Nathan, but not nearly as badly as you could have been hurt tonight." With that, he raised his hand and brought it down with a loud crack on Nathan's backside.

Nathan winced and sucked in his breath. He knew that Dan had gone easy on him last time, but he wasn't quite prepared for such a hard spanking this time. Still, he knew he deserved it. If his mom were here, she'd have probably gone to work on him with a hairbrush.

"I know we didn't exactly cover sneaking out when we went over the rules of this house, Nathan, but I would have thought that one would have been obvious," Dan lectured, delivering hard and fast swats to Nathan's quickly reddening bottom. "You are not allowed to go anywhere without our permission, and you are certainly not allowed to walk more than a mile across town after dark."

"I'm sorry!" Nathan whimpered, unable to keep his legs from kicking a bit as Dan moved down towards his sit spots.

"I know you are," Dan said, slowing the swats down. "And if you ever pull a stunt like this again, you will be a hell of a lot sorrier. Understand?"

"Yes!" Nathan cried, tears starting to fall from his eyes as Dan's spanks got harder and slower. "I'm sorry, Dad! I'll never do it again! Daddy, stop!"

Dan felt his heart clench as Nathan called him Daddy for the first time, and he ended the spanking with a final swat to the center of Nathan's butt. He rubbed the sobbing boy's back for a moment, before pulling up his pants and helping him to his feet. Nathan dove into Dan's arms as soon as he was right side up, and Dan held him for a moment.

"It's alright, Nate, you're forgiven," he said tenderly, stroking the boy's hair. He leaned back a bit so he could see Nathan's face. "Please don't ever make me be that hard on you again," he requested softly.

Nathan nodded, his words getting choked up in his sobs. Dan gave him a kiss on the forehead and then turned him toward Lucas. "You go take your brother's place," he said, giving Nathan a gentle love tap on the rear end. "Lucas, come over here."

Lucas gave his brother a frightened look as they passed each other. Luke had heard the unmistakable sound of hand hitting bare flesh while his brother was being spanked, and he was more than slightly alarmed. Dan had never spanked Lucas bare before, and if he wasn't aware that he was in trouble before, he was sure as heck aware of it now. He approached Dan cautiously, staring at his shoes the whole time.

Dan lifted the boy's chin with one finger and gave him a serious look. "I don't ever want to have a reason to punish you this severely again," he said sincerely. When Lucas's eyes glossed over with tears, Dan took his arm and pulled him over his lap, pulling down his shorts and underwear as soon as he was in position. Lucas struggled a bit as the cool air washed over his skin, but Dan wrapped his left arm around his waist and went to work on his backside.

"There is absolutely no excuse for the stunt you pulled tonight, Lucas Scott," Dan scolded, peppering his eldest's bottom with hard, stinging smacks. "You know perfectly well what the rules are about being out after dark and going somewhere without our permission. And when I think about how badly you frightened your mother tonight, you should consider yourself lucky that I'm not spanking you with more than my hand!"

"Ow, Dad!" Lucas yelped, trying in vain to push himself up off of his father's legs. "I get it! Never again, I promise!"

"I hope so," Dan said sternly, delivering the spanks slower and more solid as he felt Lucas start to break down. "If you break that promise, son, this spanking will seem like a walk in the park. Got it?"

"Yes!" Lucas wailed, finally allowing the tears to roll down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, Daddy!"

Dan delivered one last swat in relief and quickly pulled Lucas's pants up so he could begin comforting the boy. He turned Lucas over and held him on his left knee, making sure that he wasn't resting directly on his bottom.

"Sh, it's alright son," Dan soothed, rocking Lucas back and forth gently. Once Lucas's sobs had subsided, Dan allowed Nathan to come out of the corner and sit on his other knee. Dan held them both for a moment before he heard the living room door creak open. He looked back and saw Karen, who had apparently been right outside listening to the punishments, as she was looking a little teary eyed herself.

"I think you guys need to apologize to someone else," Dan said, indicating Karen's presence to his sons. Lucas jumped off of his lap, followed quickly by Nathan, and both boys ran over and threw their arms around Karen.

"We're sorry, Mom," they both said at approximately the same time, their voices muffled against her bathrobe.

"I know, babies," Karen said, kneeling down and holding them so their heads could lie on her shoulders. "Just please don't ever scare me like that again. You're both too important to me." She gave them each a kiss, then stood up and led them back over to the couch. She sat down, lifting Nathan onto her lap, while Dan sat beside her and followed suit with Lucas.

"Guys, I know you've both already been punished, but I think this calls for something extra," Dan said seriously, causing Lucas to give him an apprehensive look. "You're both grounded for the next two weeks. School, homework, and chores, and that's it. Sound fair, Karen?"

"Almost," Karen said, rubbing Nathan's back when he looked at her nervously. "I think the two of you need a little time to think about what you did. So tomorrow, you're spending the entire day in your rooms. You can come out for the bathroom and meals, but that's it."

"A whole day?" Lucas whined. Dan gave him a warning tap on the leg and frowned, while Karen just raised an eyebrow at him. "If you want to complain, I think we can arrange to have you confined to your room during your entire grounding," she said firmly. "Is that what you want?"

"No, ma'am," Lucas said, going from indignant to pitiful so rapidly that both of his parents had to fight the urge to chuckle.

"Alright, you two," Dan said, standing up and lifting Lucas on his hip. "You need to get into bed-for real this time," he said sternly.

"Indeed," Karen said, scooping up Nathan and heading for the stairs. "You're lucky I don't make you sleep with us while we get your windows fitted with bars."

Thirty minutes later, Luke and Nathan were both sound asleep, on their stomachs, of course. Dan and Karen, however, were wide awake in bed.

"I still can't believe they snuck out," Karen said, sounding utterly dumbfounded. "They're ten years old, for heaven's sake. If they're pulling this crap now, what's it going to be like when they're in high school?"

Dan reached out and put his arm around her, pulling her in toward his chest. "Sweetheart, I think we're screwed," he said seriously, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

**Alright guys, I'm making you an offer, so listen up. All of the chapters in this story are going to focus strictly on stuff that happens with Dan, Karen, Nathan, and Lucas. However, if there is interest in seeing a seperate one-shot about what happened between Keith and the girls after this little incident, I will be willing to write it. BUT I will require no less than 15 reviews requesting that said one-shot be written. 36 people have this story on alert, so that doesn't seem like an unreasonable number. If there is enough interest, I will give you a little insight into the world of Keith and the Scott girls. Otherwise, we'll leave all the drama with the Scott boys. Coming up next: I have no idea. But it will probably involve school. Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! I can't believe I'm already at Chapter 10…time flies when you're having fun. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time! I definitely had some interest in the one shot about Keith and the girls, but not quite enough to justify writing if. If anyone else wants to read it, please let me know! I will still write it if there is enough interest! Enjoy!**

Joe Johnson had been the principal of Tree Hill Elementary for ten years, and while he was certainly used to having children sent to him for discipline, he never enjoyed it. He was feeling particularly reluctant to dole out punishment on this warm September afternoon, but he knew that he had no choice. He gave a sympathetic glance to the little boy seated in front of his desk, and silently pushed a box of Kleenex toward him.

"Come in," Principal Johnson said, relieved when he finally heard a knock at the door.

The door opened and Karen Scott walked in, looking frazzled and worried. "I'm sorry I took so long," she apologized breathlessly. "My husband was in a meeting, and I was understaffed for the lunch rush."

"It's quite alright, Mrs. Scott," Principal Johnson said reassuringly. "Please, have a seat."

Karen sat down in the unoccupied chair next to the crying little boy, and turned to him with a sad look on her face.

"Nathan? Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Nathan glanced at her, but quickly lowered his gaze and shook his head. Karen sighed and turned to look at the principal.

"We're not really sure what happened, Mrs. Scott," Principal Johnson explained. "Another student alerted one of the teachers when they started fighting. It took two adults to separate them from each other. The other boy, Tim, insisted that Nathan started it, and Nathan hasn't told me otherwise."

"Is that true, Nathan?" Karen asked. When Nathan didn't respond, her voice became a little sharper. "Answer me, young man."

Nathan shot her another quick glance, and he silently nodded his head. Karen sighed again and looked back at the principal. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Both of them are going to have a few bumps and bruises, but nothing major," the principal said. "Mrs. Scott, I'm sorry to have to do this, but the school code requires me to suspend both boys for a full day. Nathan can come back to class on Thursday, but he'll have to remain at home tomorrow."

"I understand," Karen said. "I can assure you this will not happen again. Nathan knows our opinion on fighting, and my husband and I will be dealing with him later."

The principal noticed Nathan bite his lip nervously, and he felt compelled to intervene on behalf of the boy. "Mrs. Scott, if I could have a word with you in private for a moment? Nathan, why don't you go wait outside by the secretary's desk?"

Nathan didn't have to be told twice; he scurried out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him. As soon as the door was closed, Principal Johnson stood and walked around his desk, leaning against the front of it.

"Mrs. Scott, I know it's not my place to spread gossip or to make assumptions," he began. "But I have had several problems with Tim Smith in the past, and I would bet my pension that he did something to provoke Nathan."

"Tim Smith…is that Shari Smith's son?" Karen asked, a hint of dislike creeping into her voice. She and Shari Smith had hated each other since junior high.

"I see you're familiar with the family," Principal Johnson said drily. "Now, I haven't gotten a chance to know Nathan very well, but from what his teachers have told me, he is a very polite, well-behaved young man. I tried to get him to tell me the full story of what happened today, but he refused to talk. If you could try to get him to open up to you, that would be very helpful. I have a sneaking suspicion that Tim deserved to be shoved to the ground, and if he is going around provoking other students, I want to be able to put a stop to it."

"Thank you, Principal Johnson," Karen said, rising to her feet. "This is very unlike Nathan, and we'll do our best to find out what happened. I appreciate you giving him the benefit of the doubt."

"My pleasure," he replied. "One more thing…I know I'm probably overstepping my bounds, but go easy on the little guy. I know from past dealings with you that you and Mr. Scott are wonderful parents, but Nathan's been looking traumatized ever since he was brought in to see me."

Karen felt a wave of sympathy for her youngest. "I hope we can. As long as he gives us a valid reason for what happened, I don't think we'll need to punish him too severely," she said. "Would it be alright if I took Lucas home as well? It won't be easy for me to drive back in an hour."

"Of course," the principal said, shaking her hand and opening the door for her. "Thank you for being so understanding, Mrs. Scott."

Twenty minutes later, Karen opened the front door of their house and held it open for the boys. She watched them suspiciously as they trudged past her. The whole ride home, Lucas had been elbowing Nathan and whispering to him furiously. Nathan had repeatedly shaken his head vehemently and whispered back, but Karen couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Luke," she said, closing the door behind her and folding her arms as she looked down at the boys. "You go on into the kitchen and get started on your homework. I'll be in to fix you a snack in a little bit."

"But Mom…" Lucas began, shooting Nathan a frustrated look.

"Now, Lucas," Karen ordered, her voice leaving no room for argument. Lucas stomped off to the kitchen in a huff, and Karen turned her attention on Nathan. She held out her hand silently for him to take, and led him into the living room.

"Nathan," she said softly, sitting down on the couch and holding his hands in her own. "I need you to tell me what happened today. Why did you push Tim?"

Nathan shrugged, his face turning slightly pink as he looked down at the carpet.

"Did he say something mean to you?" Karen pressed. "Did he threaten you in any way?"

Nathan gave her a strange look after that question, but he slowly shook his head no.

Karen released Nathan's hands and rubbed her eyes in frustration. "Nathan," she said finally. "If you don't tell us what happened, your father and I have to assume the worst: that you attacked another student for no reason. And if that is truly what happened, you are going to be in serious trouble. Do you understand me?"

Nathan's eyes filled with tears, but he nodded that he understood, and Karen sighed. "Do you still have nothing to say?" she asked, almost pleadingly.

Nathan shook his head one last time, and Karen nodded. "Go to your room," she said resignedly. "Your dad will come talk to you when he gets home."

Nathan fled the room before she could see that the tears were starting to fall. Karen watched him go sadly, wishing that Nathan would just talk to her. He was almost more difficult to punish than Lucas. He was more sensitive, somehow; probably from being raised by a single mother all those years. Karen hurriedly wiped away the single tear that had spilled from her own eye, and she took out her cell phone to call Dan.

Five minutes later, Dan was just as frustrated as his wife as she finished explaining the situation to him. "Listen, Kar, I have a few things I need to finish up, but then I'll head home early, okay?" he said, already dreading having to go home. "I'll talk to him and we'll see where we go from there. I love you, too. Bye."

Dan hung up the phone and slumped back in his chair, suddenly feeling extremely tired. He didn't understand Nathan's behavior at all. Aside from his fight with Lucas the first day, Nathan had never shown any type of aggression towards anybody. And ever since his stay at the hospital, he had been incredibly open with his parents and his brother. Dan hoped to heaven that he could get an explanation out of Nathan. If Nathan had just attacked this kid for no reason…Dan didn't even want to think about how severely he would have to punish his son for something like that.

He didn't have long to think about it, as it turned out, because less than a minute after hanging up with Karen, the intercom on his desk buzzed.

"Mr. Scott?" his receptionist, Nancy, said. "Your brother is here to see you."

"Send him on back, Nancy," he replied, feeling a small sense of relief. Maybe Keith would have some advice for how to deal with the situation. Dan looked up as the door opened, ready to talk to his older brother, but he was surprised when a small figure came barreling through the door and threw herself at him.

"Uncle Dan!" Haley wailed, clinging to him and soaking his suit with her tears. "It's all my fault! Please don't punish Nathan! Punish me instead!"

Dan looked down at the girl in shock, and then looked back up at the doorway. Keith had entered the office behind Haley, looking just as bewildered as Dan felt. "I have no idea, Danny," Keith said, holding his hands up in confusion. "She insisted on being brought over here to see you."

Dan started to answer him, but the increased volume of Haley's sobs brought his attention back to his niece. "Haley, calm down," he soothed, picking the little girl up and sitting her on his lap. "I can't understand you if you're crying. Now calm down and talk to me. What do you mean it's all your fault?"

"The…fight…" Haley hiccupped, gulping back her sobs as fast as she could. "Nathan…hit…him…cause of…me."

Concerned as he was over Haley's admission, Dan couldn't help but feel a huge wave of relief wash over him. The mere fact that Nathan had a reason for fighting automatically meant Dan wouldn't have to completely lay into him. "Was this kid Tim bothering you, Haley?" Dan asked gently.

Haley sniffled and buried her face in Dan's shirt. "He's been calling me names ever since the party at the playground," she confessed. "He was making fun of me for getting hurt and crying. He told me that I was a crybaby and that he was gonna make me break my leg so I'd cry even more."

"What?" Keith boomed, his face turning red with unbridled fury. "Haley, why on earth didn't you tell me about this?"

"He said if I told, he'd break both my legs," Haley whimpered. "I didn't know what to do. But today, I got really scared and I told Nathan and Lucas everything. I told them what would happen if they told, but Nathan went over to talk to Tim anyway. Tim told him that he would mess me up however he wanted, and he started coming after me. That's when Nathan pushed him. Lucas was going to fight him, too, but Brooke came over and pulled him back."

"Haley, honey, if someone is threatening you in any way, you have to tell an adult," Keith said forcefully, kneeling down by Dan's desk and placing his hand on Haley's knee. "We could have gotten you help before Nathan got in a fight with this kid."

"I know," Haley said, her face crumpling with fresh tears. "That's why you have to punish me, Uncle Dan. It's my fault because I never told."

"Oh, Haley," Dan said, giving his niece a kiss on the forehead. "I'm not going to punish you. You didn't force Nathan to get into a fight. I'm proud of you for coming to tell me."

"And tomorrow, we are all going in to the school and telling the principal," Keith said firmly. "I promise Haley, this kid won't ever bother you again. He obviously needs some help. Now, what do you say we go get some ice cream to have with dinner tonight?"

"No," Haley said, her tears suddenly stopping as she sat up on her uncle's lap.

"No?"

"I'm not leaving until Uncle Dan promises not to punish Nathan," she said stubbornly, folding her arms and jutting out her chin in determination.

"That is not your business, Haley Joy," Keith reprimanded gently. "Now let's…"

"Promise me," Haley demanded, glaring at Dan. "Nathan was just protecting me. And if you punish him, then…then…then I'll figure out a way to punish you! And then you'll be really sorry! Sir," she added quickly, shooting a nervous glance over at her father.

Dan choked on a laugh, and even Keith had to quirk an eyebrow in amusement at Haley's sudden ferocity.

"Haley," Dan said, trying not to smile. "I promise you, if Nathan thinks I've been too hard on him, you are more than welcome to punish me. Deal?"

Haley scowled, seemingly sizing her uncle up. "Deal," she said finally, shaking the hand he offered her.

Keith rolled his eyes. "I guess while I've been inspiring Lucas to become a mechanic, you've been working behind my back and influencing her to become a business woman," he said sarcastically. "Haley, if you're done negotiating on Nathan's behalf, I think it's time for us to leave. We can get ice cream, but we also need to talk some more about what's been happening at school."

"Okay," said Haley reluctantly. Dan lifted her off of his lap and placed her on the floor.

"Thank you for coming to me, Haley," he said sincerely. "I'll see you tomorrow at school." As soon as Haley and Keith had left, Dan grabbed his briefcase and headed out towards his car. Now that he knew the truth, he was anxious to get the situation with Nathan resolved.

Fifteen minutes later, Dan was pulling into his own driveway. He headed into the house, intending on talking to Karen briefly to assure her that everything was alright. But as soon as he shut the door, he found himself face to face with Lucas, who was sporting a look not unlike the one Haley had been sporting less than half an hour ago.

"Dad, you cannot go up there and spank Nathan," Lucas said forcefully, his feet planted apart and his hands on his hips like he was some miniature body guard. "I won't let you."

Dan raised an eyebrow at his eldest. "Lucas, I don't believe you have any say in how I punish Nathan. But…"

"I do so have a say!" Lucas shouted, stomping his foot for good measure. "Nathan's my brother, and I have to protect him. And since he's not saying anything about what happened, you can't prove that he's guilty. And we learned in history class last week that in America, you're innocent until proven guilty. Are you trying to question the laws of our country, Dad?" he demanded.

Dan fought back a laugh for the second time that day, wondering when the Scott children had all gotten so self-righteous. "Lucas, I know about everything that happened today, and I'm not going to spank Nathan," he said patiently. "Although I may spank you if you yell at me again," he added warningly.

"You know what happened?" Karen said, coming into the foyer after hearing Lucas's shouts. "How?"

"Keith brought Haley by the office after school," Dan explained. "She told me about everything. I want to go ahead and talk to Nathan before I fill you in on all the details, but let's just say that we need to go have a talk with the principal tomorrow about this Tim kid."

"So it wasn't Nathan's fault?" Karen asked, feeling incredibly relieved.

"I think this time we can afford to let the punishment slide, particularly since he has his suspension tomorrow. But I do need to go have a talk with him." Dan looked down at Lucas and said drily, "Do you trust me to go up there, or do you think Nathan needs a lawyer present?"

"I trust you," Lucas said sheepishly. "Sorry."

Dan ruffled his hair, gave Karen a quick kiss on the cheek, and headed up to Nathan's room. He knocked on the door, entering after he heard a timid "Come in."

Dan's heart went out to his son when he saw him sitting on the bed, his knees drawn to his chest and his eyes slightly red. "Nathan, we need to talk," he said gently, sitting down on the bed.

Nathan didn't even look at his father before throwing himself over the older man's lap. "Just do it," he said resignedly.

To say Dan was taken aback would have been an understatement. "Nathan, I…"

"Please, Dad!" Nathan begged, clutching the leg of his father's suit in one hand and the comforter in the other. "I know you have to spank me, so just do it already!"

"Son…"

"Please!"

Dan sighed wearily, thinking he would need to have a chat with Keith and Karen about how to deal with the sudden level of boldness their children were displaying. He finally gave Nathan a light swat on the jeans, barely loud enough to make a sound, before helping him to his feet.

"There, I spanked you," Dan said exasperatedly. "Now can we please talk?"

Nathan looked confused, then upset. "I can't tell you what happened," he mumbled.

"I see," Dan said. "And what if I told you that I talked to Haley this afternoon?"

Nathan's eyes widened in surprise, and Dan took pity on the boy and lifted him to sit in his lap. "Nathan," he said seriously, "You should have told someone right away what really happened."

"I wanted to, Dad!" Nathan protested. "But Haley was so scared, and while we were waiting for the principal, that Tim kid told me if I said anything, he's fix it so I never played basketball again!"

"I know that bullies can be intimidating, son," Dan said, patting Nathan on the back. "But do you honestly think that your teachers, your principal, or your mother and I would let anything like that happen to you, or to Haley?"

Nathan's face turned pink as he realized that his father was right. "I guess I was pretty stupid, huh?" he said softly.

"No, you were not stupid," Dan said firmly. "Despite my rules about fighting, I'm proud of you for defending Haley. But I need to know that if you or anyone you know is ever threatened like this again, you will tell me or another adult you trust immediately. Can you promise me that?"

Nathan nodded, and leaned into the hug Dan offered him. "Um…was that really my spanking for fighting?" he asked cautiously.

"Well, you weren't going to get one at all, but you seemed so determined that I decided to accommodate you," Dan said, giving his son a smile. "I think being suspended for a day is plenty of punishment for what you did. But tomorrow, after we go see the principal, you will have to go into work with your mother, and I expect you to be helpful and to do what she tells you. Fair?"

"Fair," Nathan agreed, the weight that had been in his chest since the fight finally lifting. "Thanks, Dad," he said shyly.

"You're welcome," Dan said, giving his boy another hug. "You ready to go downstairs? We need to tell your mother about what happened, and you need to assure Lucas that I didn't punish you too harshly."

"Why?" Nathan asked, squinting in confusion as his dad lifted him to his feet and guided him toward the door.

Dan laughed. "Haley and Lucas both have been pleading your case to me all afternoon," he said with a smile. "Haley threatened to punish me if I punished you, and Lucas was accusing me of denying you your civil liberties."

Nathan looked up at his dad, feeling utterly baffled. "That's…really weird."

"Maybe," Dan said, putting an arm around the boy as they headed downstairs. "But I think they were just returning the favor. You did, after all, put yourself on the line for both of them. They're both very lucky to have you," he added softly.

Nathan smiled; glad to know that his brother and cousin cared about him just as much as he cared about them. "I'm lucky, too," he whispered.

**Well, that was certainly more light-hearted than some of the chapters I've been writing lately! Coming up next: not sure. It tends to come to me in my sleep. Hope you guys liked this chapter! Read and review, and don't forget to let me know if you want to see the one shot with Keith and the girls!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi everyone! Alright, since I didn't get as many requests as I asked for, this chapter is going to contain a little recap of what happened to the girls after they snuck out a couple of chapters ago. Hopefully that will make everyone who wanted to read it happy! But if you like the taste you get of it and decide you want more, you can still let me know and I'll consider writing a one-shot. For those of you who are enjoying this story, I would really appreciate getting some more reviews. I didn't get many for the last chapter, so I really have no way of knowing if enough people are enjoying it. You don't have to write me a book-just a little note to say you like it would make my day! Anyways, this chapter is very lighthearted, so I hope you enjoy it!**

"Alright guys, here are the rules," Karen said, driving down the street. "Number one; you do everything that Keith says without question. He has my permission to deal with you if you disobey him. Number two; stay clear of all the machinery and tools unless Keith is with you. And number three…"

"Mom, I know," Lucas complained, folding his arms in indignation. "I've been going to the garage since I was four years old."

"Yes, you have, but Nathan hasn't," Karen admonished, giving him a look in the rearview mirror. "And besides, after last time, you're lucky that all I'm giving you is a reminder of the rules."

"What happened last time?" Nathan whispered to his brother.

"There may have been a minor incident involving me, a sports car, and an attempt at hot wiring," Lucas whispered back, ignoring the look his mother was giving him.

"Dude, seriously?" Nathan said. "Isn't that illegal or something?"

"I don't know about the outside world, but it's apparently illegal at Keith Scott Motors," Lucas said, rolling his eyes in irritation. "Keith told me about a time when he had tried hot wiring when he was my age, so I thought I'd try it out for myself. I had barely gotten a spark when he yanked me out of the car and…well, you know," he said, blushing slightly.

"Yeah, and he's going to 'you know' you again if there is another 'minor incident' today," Karen said firmly. "And this time I might not be able to talk your father out of 'you knowing' you too, so behave yourself. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am," Lucas grumbled.

"Nathan, that goes for you too."

"Yes ma'am."

"Good," Karen said, giving them a smile as she pulled into the garage parking lot. "Here we are."

"Aunt Karen!" Brooke screeched, running into her aunt's arms as she got out of the car. "Are you ready for an oh-so-fabulous day at the mall with your three favorite nieces?"

"Of course I am," Karen said, smiling and hugging the young girl. "You and your sisters get loaded in the car and we'll be on our way."

"You got it!" Brooke said happily, skipping back into the garage. "HALEY! PEYTON! MOVE IT! THERE'S SHOPPING TO DO!"

Haley and Peyton hurried out of the garage, knowing that their sister's volume wouldn't tone down until they did. They were shortly followed by Keith, who was wiping his hands off on a bandana.

"Hey Karen," Keith said warmly, giving his sister in law a hug. "Thank you so much for doing this. Brooke has been driving me insane. She's insisting that her entire wardrobe is 'so 1996'."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Karen said in mock horror.

"No, I suppose not," Keith said wryly. "Here, I know that some of the things they buy might actually be useful, so take my credit card. But no more than $50 for each girl on that. They have their birthday money and allowance for anything extra."

"I'll make sure they don't go overboard," Karen promised. "Just try and make sure that neither of my sons gets injured or, God forbid, tries to hotwire a car again."

"Oh don't worry, _no one _will be hotwiring a car," Keith said, glaring over at Lucas, who gave his uncle a sheepish grin.

"Good to hear," Karen said, smiling. "Have fun, guys." She got in the car with her three chattering nieces, and backed out of the parking lot.

Keith waved as they drove off, and then put his arms around both of his nephews. "So, you guys ready for a hard day's work?" he asked. "My weekend guy called in sick today, so it's just the three of us."

"I don't really know much about cars," Nathan admitted. "I don't think I could be much help."

"That's okay, kiddo," Keith said, giving Nathan's shoulder a friendly squeeze. "I wasn't planning on having you rebuild an engine right away. Why don't we start with this car over here that needs a tune-up, and you guys can hand me my tools as I ask for them?"

"Aw, Uncle Keith," Lucas whined as they approached the black Toyota. "That's so boring. Can't I do something else?"

"Last time I let you do something else, you almost destroyed a sports car," Keith said sternly. "You can work next to me for an hour or so, and if you behave, we'll see about letting you guys do something else. But if you whine, I'm sending you in the back to wash my office windows. Capiche?"

Lucas gave a dramatic sigh. "One mistake and I'm branded for life," he said woefully.

Keith chuckled as he grabbed his tool box from the work bench. "No one would ever doubt that you are Danny's son," he said, coming over and raising the hood of the Toyota.

"How come?" Lucas asked curiously. "Mom says I have his eyes, but otherwise I don't really look like him. I look more like you, don't I?

"Physically, yes, you could be mine," Keith said. "But that penchant for drama you just showed, that's all Danny. He used to be incredibly dramatic whenever he got in trouble, too."

"Did Dad get in trouble a lot?" Nathan asked curiously, inspecting the multitude of tools sitting on the ground.

Keith snorted as he fiddled with the ignition coil. "Uh yeah, just a bit," he said sarcastically. "Let's see…your dad ever tell you about the time he and his friends decided to egg the whole neighborhood on Halloween?"

Lucas's mouth dropped open. "I asked him if I could do that last year, and he said if I did he would ground me for a month!" he said indignantly.

"Well, you would have gotten off a lot easier than he did," Keith said, sitting down on the floor. "He and his buddies got about half a dozen houses before the cops caught up with them. They all ran, and Danny had the bright idea to climb up the nearest tree. Problem is, at eleven years old, he was afraid of heights."

The boys laughed at the image of their strong, tough Dad freaking out over something as silly as being up a tree.

"Anyways, the cops tried to get him to come down, but he refused. One of the cops recognized him and called your Grandpa. Grandpa Roy took me with him, and we stood at the base of that tree for over an hour, yelling at him to come down. Finally, your Grandpa sent me up there, and I helped Danny climb down."

"And then what happened?" Lucas asked eagerly.

"Danny didn't sit comfortably until Thanksgiving and he was grounded until Christmas," Keith said drily.

"Wow," Nathan said. "Grandpa Roy must be really strict."

"He was," Keith said, a bit sadly. "A little too strict. He was pretty hard on your Dad and I both, so that's why he and Grandma Mae don't come around a whole lot."

"I don't really like spending time with Grandpa," Lucas confessed. "All he ever wants to talk about is basketball, and he isn't always very nice to Dad."

"Well, he wasn't always very nice to us growing up, either," Keith said. "And your Dad and I try really hard to be better fathers to you and your cousins. We don't want you to grow up completely undisciplined, but I hope none of you guys ever feel like we're mean or cold."

Lucas shook his head wildly. "Dad's the best dad in the whole world, and you're the best uncle. You're not like Grandpa Roy," he said sincerely.

Nathan didn't say anything, but he smiled at Keith and gave him a shy hug. Keith smiled back and returned the hug, offering his other arm to Luke.

"Thanks, guys," he said. "We're lucky enough to have the best kids in the world, so it's pretty easy."

"Uncle Keith?" Nathan asked, leaning up to look at his uncle. "You said Lucas reminded you of Dad…do I?"

"Sure you do, kiddo," Keith said, ruffling his hair. "And not just because you look like a carbon copy of him. I know your Dad can seem kind of tough sometimes, but he cares deeply for those that he loves. And I see that kind of affection in you, Nate. When you defended Haley to that kid Tim a couple weeks ago, that was totally something your Dad would have done. He isn't all mushy in public, but God help anyone who tries to hurt his family."

Nathan smiled. "I always used to wonder that," he said. "I used to feel bad because I didn't really look like my mom. She would always try to make me feel better by telling me how I was like her; like, we had the same taste in music, and we both hated root beer. But I always wondered what I had gotten from my Dad. It's cool to know I'm kind of like him."

"Well, I think you both got the best parts of him," Keith said honestly. "Now enough of this chit-chat. Lucas, hand me the socket wrench, then tell Nathan what some of the other tools are. There'll be a quiz later," he teased. Both of the boys grinned at him and hurried to follow his instructions.

Meanwhile, the Tree Hill Mall was being systematically conquered by Brooke Elyse Scott. As soon as Karen and the girls had entered the shopping center, Brooke had headed purposefully for the Gap, dragging Haley and Peyton with her and leaving Karen to hurry along after them. Once inside the store, she had announced that both of her sisters were going to get a full wardrobe makeover, starting with Haley. Despite her little sister's protests, Brooke dragged her into a dressing room with about twenty outfits, leaving Peyton and Karen to sit outside on a bench.

"So how are you doing, Peyton?" Karen asked, biting back a smile as she heard Brooke fussing at Haley to try on a cropped tank top. "I haven't talked to you much since school started."

"Yeah…that's because I've been grounded for the whole incident at the playground," Peyton said sheepishly. "I just got off last week."

"Well, I'm sorry you had to go through that, sweetie, but you kind of deserved it," Karen said gently.

"I know," Peyton said, blushing slightly. "I mean, at the time we got caught I was mad, but afterwards I felt really bad. I didn't mean to make Dad worry, and I felt horrible about getting Haley in trouble. She really didn't want to go, but Brooke and I made her."

"Did you tell your Dad that?"

"Yeah, we told him," Peyton said. "She got grounded for a week, but she didn't get spanked like Brooke and I did. Honestly, I don't think Dad wanted to punish her at all, but she practically insisted on it. You know how she is."

"Well, she needs to learn that she doesn't always have to follow you and Brooke's lead," Karen said, putting an arm around her niece. "But you two need to remember that she looks up to you. And none of you ever should have done something so dangerous. Not just for your own sake but for your Dad's. If he lost you girls, it would break his heart."

"I know," Peyton said guiltily. "I don't think he's ever spanked me so hard, and when he stopped, he was crying. I haven't seen him cry since Mom died. That was even worse than being punished."

"I'm sure it was," Karen said sympathetically. "You're a good girl, Peyton-all of you are. You made a mistake, and now it's over."

"BROOKE!" came a horrified shriek from the dressing room. "I can't wear a sequined mini-skirt! I'll look like a slut!"

Karen and Peyton looked at each other and burst out laughing. "I think I better go in there and rescue her," Karen said, getting to her feet and shaking her head.

A couple of hours later, after Brooke had pleaded four times with Karen to let her charge more than $50 to her dad's credit card, the group decided to head to the food court for some lunch. On the way there, Brooke stopped outside of a display window.

"Aw! Look at the cute little dresses!" she cooed, pressing her nose to the glass of the baby store window.

"They're so pretty," Haley said, joining her sister. "I love the one with the little pink flowers."

"Aunt Karen," Brooke said, sounding like she had just been inspired. "You should totally have a baby."

""Excuse me?" Karen said with surprise.

"You should! I mean, Lucas and Nathan are great, but you would be such a great mom to a little girl. And can you imagine Uncle Dan with a daughter?" Brooke squealed. "It would be so adorable!"

"She's right, Aunt Karen," Haley said eagerly. "Do you think you and Uncle Dan will have another baby?"

"Well, we haven't really talked about it," Karen stammered. "I mean, we just got Nathan, and…"

"Well, you better start talking about it," Brooke interrupted, turning away from the window and starting towards the food court. "I've decided that I want a little girl cousin to dress up and spoil, so you and Uncle Dan will just have to make that happen."

Haley skipped along after her big sister, while Karen remained frozen in place, looking utterly bewildered. Peyton quietly slipped her hand into her aunt's and pulled her along.

"I know Brooke can be really pushy, but she does kind of make sense," Peyton said, looking up at Karen. "You would make a really great mom to a girl. You're already a great stand-in mom for us."

Karen looked down and gave her a small smile. "Thank you, sweetheart," she said. As they walked down the busy walkway of the mall, she turned back and gave the dress with the little pink flowers a wistful glance.

**This chapter totally came to me in my sleep last night, so I hope you guys liked it! Coming up next: It's Halloween night, but our favorite boys are in bed with the flu! Sad face! But don't worry, their cousins will make sure they still get their candy. Please read and review, it means a lot!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi everyone! So, I started this chapter and ended up giving a lot of details about the boys being sick without actually realizing it. So if anything turns out kind of gross, I do apologize. I was going for a chapter that was more about the comfort side of the parent/child relationship, and also some camaraderie between Nathan and Lucas without them getting into any trouble. Enjoy!**

Karen rolled over and stared blurrily at the little boy who had just walked into her bedroom. "Nathan, what's wrong?" she asked groggily.

"Mom, I don't feel good," Nathan groaned, one hand holding his stomach leaning against the door frame. "And I don't think Lucas does either. He…uh-oh."

Nathan sprinted toward the master bathroom and made it to the toilet just in time before he threw up. Karen immediately switched into mom gear and shoved Dan awake before jumping out of bed and running to Nathan. Dan grunted and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What is it?" he asked, squinting as the light from the bathroom flooded the bedroom.

"The boys are sick," Karen said, rubbing Nathan's back with one hand and flushing the toilet for him with the other. "Can you go check on Lucas? I'm not sure where he is."

"He's…in the other…bathroom," Nathan said, trying to get the words out in between heaves. "He's…throwing…up, too."

"Shh, okay, Baby," Karen said softly. "Don't talk; that's only going to make you feel worse. Take some slow breaths and just get it all out. Dan, go," she said in exasperation. Dan sometimes took a few minutes to start processing things after he woke up, and right now he was staring blankly at his wife and youngest son.

"Oh, right," he said, snapping back to reality and getting out of bed. He hurried down the hall and found Lucas in the exact same position as Nathan. Unfortunately, it looked like Lucas hadn't made it to the toilet in time, as the front of his shirt was covered in vomit.

"Oh Luke," Dan sighed, coming over and kneeling down next to the boy.

Lucas looked up at Dan with tears running down his face. "I'm sorry…" he whimpered. "I didn't mean to make such a mess."

"Aw, Buddy, don't apologize. You can't help it when you're sick," Dan said reassuringly, brushing Lucas's sweaty bangs back from his forehead. "Do you still need to throw up?"

"I don't think there's anything left," Lucas said weakly. "I just feel really cold and shaky."

"Okay," Dan said, feeling his forehead. "You definitely have a fever. Come here, let's get that shirt off, and then we'll go take your temperature."

Dan helped Lucas removed his dirty pajama top and set it on the vanity counter. He then lifted Lucas easily and carried him back toward the master bedroom. Lucas laid his head on Dan's shoulder. Despite the warmth Dan could feel radiating off of his body, the little boy was shaking like a leaf.

Karen looked up worriedly as Dan came into the master bathroom. "Is he the same?"

"Yeah," Dan said, patting Lucas gently on the back. "Vomiting, chills, and a fever."

"The thermometer is in the medicine cabinet," Karen said, turning her attention back to Nathan. "Go ahead and take his temperature. I'm not sure Nathan's got it all out yet."

Dan got the thermometer and carried Lucas back to the bed. "Come on buddy, open up. This'll just take a second," he coaxed, sitting Lucas on his lap and putting the thermometer under his tongue. Lucas complied and leaned his head back on Dan's shoulder as the thermometer went to work.

Three minutes later, Dan was frustrated to discover that Lucas's fever was 101.6 degrees. Not high enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room, but certainly high enough to ensure that Lucas felt significantly uncomfortable. "101.6, Kar," he called.

"Oh jeez," Karen groaned, carrying Nathan over to the bed and handing Dan an alcohol pad to clean the thermometer. "I doubt he's much better," she said, taking the clean thermometer and inserting it in Nathan's mouth. Her suspicions were confirmed when Nathan's temperature read at 101.9.

"Kar, we should probably draw them a bath," Dan said, stroking Lucas's hair. "Lucas threw up on himself, and besides, I'm not sure they'll be able to get any rest until we get their fevers down a little bit."

"You're right," Karen said, giving Nathan a sympathetic kiss on the forehead. "Here, you sit with them for a minute and I'll go get both tubs running."

As soon as the tubs were full of lukewarm water and fresh pajamas had been laid out in each bathroom, Karen came back in and took Lucas into the master bathroom. Dan took Nathan to the other bathroom, and half an hour later, each boy's fever had gone down, although Lucas had thrown up again as soon as he stepped out of the tub and Nathan was shaking so hard when he got out that he almost slipped and fell on the tile floor.

Dan carried a trembling and upset Nathan back to the master bedroom and sat down on the bed next to Karen and Lucas. "Are you guys feeling any better?" Karen asked, feeling each boy's forehead in turn.

"No," Nathan whispered, his eyes welling up with tears. "Does this mean we can't go trick-or-treating tomorrow?"

Despite his weakened state, Lucas's head shot up from Karen's shoulder at Nathan's question. "We can't miss trick-or-treating!" he protested, albeit not very forcefully.

Karen and Dan exchanged a distressed look over the boys' head. They knew how excited both of the boys were for trick-or-treating. Nathan had told them that he hadn't always gotten to go when he lived with Deb, so Lucas had insisted that they go all out. Karen had sewn a Luke Skywalker outfit for Lucas, while Dan had ordered a Michael Jordan basketball jersey so Nathan could go dressed as his favorite player. Both kids had been talking about it for three days straight, and they were planning on dividing their evening between their neighborhood and Keith's.

"Let's not worry about that right now, okay?" Karen said gently, knowing that there was no way the boys would be going out the following evening. "You're not going to get better unless you get some sleep."

"Do you guys each want one of us to sleep with you in case you get sick again?" Dan asked. Both boys nodded, and Dan stood up with Nathan in his arms.

"I'll take Nathan into the guest room," he said to Karen. "You and Lucas can stay in here. Just make sure to come get me when the alarm goes off, okay?"

"I will," Karen promised. As Dan and Nathan left the room, she laid Lucas down on the bed and tucked him in snuggly. "I'll be right here if you need me, sweetheart," she said tenderly, giving him a kiss on the forehead and turning out the light.

The next morning came all too quickly for the groggy parents. Dan had to go into work for a board meeting, and Karen had to make half a dozen phone calls to make sure the café could operate without her that day. Lucas and Nathan were both still miserable, and there misery was increased tenfold when Karen broke the news to them that they couldn't go trick-or-treating that night.

Around lunchtime, the doorbell rang, and an exhausted Karen trudged to the door. "Keith," she said tiredly, letting her brother-in-law in the house. "What's all this?"

"Danny called me and told me about the boys," Keith said, heading into the kitchen and placing two large grocery bags on the counter. "He asked if I could make sure you were stocked with all the necessary sick kid supplies. So I got some Gatorade, apple juice, 7-Up, chicken noodle soup, crackers, and some Children's Tylenol. The grape kind-I remembered that Lucas hated cherry."

"You are an absolute lifesaver," Karen said, practically falling against him as she went for a hug. "I haven't had a chance to go to the store, so the only fluid I've been able to give them is water."

"Yeah, well, I know how hard it can be to juggle when you've got a sick kid, let alone two," Keith said with a smile. "Are the boys up for visitors?"

"Last I checked, they were finally asleep," Karen said with a sigh. "They're really disappointed that they can't go trick-or-treating tonight. Nathan was crying all morning. I put them in our bedroom so they could at least be miserable together, but I don't think it's doing much good. Even though I know I'm right, I feel like a monster for not letting them go."

"Of course you're right," Keith said reassuringly. "Listen, I know it won't be the same, but I'll talk to the girls about sharing some of their candy with the boys. Maybe it'll help take some of the sting away."

"That's sweet, Keith, but I don't want the girls to give up their candy."

"Don't worry about it for a second," Keith insisted. "They never finish it anyway, and God knows Brooke doesn't need to be made anymore hyper than she already is. We'll stop by tonight on our way home. But now, unfortunately, I am needed back at the garage."

"Of course," Karen said, giving him another hug. "Thank you so much for everything, Keith. You go above and beyond the uncle call of duty."

"Anytime," Keith said with a smile as he left the kitchen and headed out the door.

Two bottles of Gatorade and three vomiting incidents later, Dan came home from work and found Karen drifting off to sleep on the living room couch. He gently covered her with a blanket and crept upstairs to check on the boys. The bedroom door was cracked, and he heard the boys talking to each other from all the way down the hall. As he got closer, he realized that they were arguing. He paused outside the door for a moment, feeling slightly guilty for eavesdropping, but allowing his curiosity to take over.

"Of course I want to go, Luke!" Nathan protested. "But I don't feel good, and I don't want to get in trouble! Don't you remember what happened last time we snuck out?"

"I know, I know," Lucas replied, sounding frustrated. "I know it's wrong, but…I was just really looking forward to this, Nate. I wanted you to have the best Halloween ever."

"I did too," Nathan admitted. "But you know we'd get caught, and that would pretty much make it the worst Halloween ever."

"You're right," Lucas said grumpily. "Okay, we won't sneak out."

"Good choice," Dan said drily, entering the room.

The boys looked so surprised and horrified by his entrance that Dan was worried that one or both of them might throw up again. "Calm down guys; you're not in trouble," he assured them, as he took off his jacket and his shoes.

"We weren't really going to sneak out, Dad," Lucas stammered, his face looking pale from both illness and nervousness.

"We were just…talking," Nathan inserted, struggling to lift his head from the pillow to defend himself but not getting far in his weakened state.

"I know that," Dan said gently, loosening his tie and sliding into the bed between the two boys. "It wasn't that long ago that I was ten years old myself, guys. I know that sometimes you just talk about stuff without ever intending on doing it. And for the record, I really am sorry that you guys can't go out tonight. I know how much you were looking forward to it."

"Being sick sucks," Nathan said softly, letting his head drop onto Dan's chest.

"I know, buddy," Dan said softly, putting his arm around him and holding him close. "And I know that having to stay inside while your friends get to go trick-or-treating really sucks. But since you guys are stuck in this room tonight, how about a scary movie marathon with the old man? I stopped by Blockbuster and got _It, Nightmare on Elm Street, _and _Friday the 13__th_."

"Really?" Lucas said, a little color returning back to his face as he got excited. "Mom said it was okay if we watched that stuff?"

"Mom is taking a nap right now," Dan said conspiratorially. "So what do you say, boys? Apple juice cocktails and a fright night?"

By the end of the evening, the boys had almost completely forgotten about trick-or-treating. They curled up with Dan to watch _Nightmare on Elm Street,_ and were so engrossed by the antics of Freddy Krueger that they completely forgot about their fevers and overactive stomachs. Karen came in about 30 minutes into _Friday the 13th_, and immediately began to berate Dan for possibly giving the boys nightmares. But she quickly saw how happy Luke and Nate were even though they were being denied trick-or-treating, so she gave in and snuggled up in bed with all three of her boys.

They had just popped _It _into the VCR when the doorbell rang, nearly making everyone jump out of their skin. "I'll get it," Karen said, regaining her composure the quickest. A few minutes later, the door to the bedroom burst open, and the Blue Fairy, a biker chick, and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz came barreling in. Dorothy gave a loud shriek as she saw Pennywise on the screen, and almost instantly burst into tears.

"Dude, turn it off!" Peyton snapped, reaching out and covering Haley's eyes. "You know how she is about clowns!"

Dan quickly turned the power off with the remote and hopped out of bed. "Sh, it's okay, Haley," he soothed, coming over and giving his youngest niece a hug. "No more clowns."

Peyton pulled her hand off of Haley's eyes, and the little girl drew a shaky breath, gulping back her tears.

"Jeez, you guys," Brooke said indignantly. "We bring you candy and you repay us by scaring Haley half to death?"

"Candy?" Nathan asked, looking confused.

"Yep!" Brooke said, her fairy wings flopping back and forth as she skipped over to the bed and jumped up. "Look at all the loot we got for you guys!"

Lucas's eyes went wide as Brooke threw a huge brown paper sack filled with candy on the bed. "How'd you get all this?" he asked in amazement.

"Easy," Peyton said, bringing Haley over to join their sister. "We just told people about you and convinced them to give us candy. Brooke flirted, and when that didn't work, I glared, and when _that _didn't work, Haley pouted. No one can refuse this sweet little face," she said mockingly, grabbing Haley's chin and mimicking her pout.

Both of the boys laughed as they propped themselves up enough to see the bountiful spread in the bag. "Thanks, you guys," Nathan said, his eyes shining.

"Yeah, thanks," Lucas chimed in, his hand already searching for Snickers bar.

"Not so fast, kiddo," Dan chided, reaching out and taking the bag. "I know it looks good right now, but you'd be sick in half a minute if you ate any of this. And speaking of being sick, I'm really happy that you girls stopped by, but I don't want you to catch what the boys have, so you better head back downstairs."

"We know," Peyton said, hopping off of the bed, followed by her sisters. "Dad told us we could just come up for a minute. But we'll stop by tomorrow and visit you guys. The teachers want us to bring you your homework."

"Can't you just bring more candy?" Lucas asked hopefully.

"Nice try," Dan said with a chuckle, escorting the girls out of the room and back downstairs.

Nathan leaned back on his pillow and sighed. "Hey Lucas?" he said.

"Yeah?"

"My stomach feels like a cyclone is inside of it, I still feel really cold, and I'm going to have nightmares for a week," he said.

"Me too," Lucas said with a sigh. He rolled over and looked at Nathan. "But still…this was the best Halloween ever."

"Totally."

**I know there wasn't much plot this chapter, but sometimes, you just need a little parent/child TLC. And don't worry, some plot and drama will be coming up next when Dan and Karen receive notice of a little cheating incident at school…dum dum dum! The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! This was another dramatic chapter, but I think it turned out pretty good. There are spankings in this chapter, so if that's not your thing, please don't read. Just an FYI-thanks to the advice of the wonderful AffinityFrequency, I enabled anonymous reviews for both of my stories. So, if any of you readers without an account have been dying to tell me how much you love this fic, please do so! If any of you have been dying to tell me how much this fic sucks, keep it to yourself. Enjoy!**

"Hey, Nate," Lucas said, looking up from his homework as his brother entered his bedroom. "What's up?"

Nathan walked over to Lucas's bed and sank onto the mattress. "Luke, I don't know what to do," he said softly.

Lucas took a closer look at Nathan and realized that he had been crying. "Nate, what is it?" he asked concernedly, getting up from his desk and coming to sit by his brother.

Nathan reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a wad of papers. "Look."

Lucas opened the papers and glanced through them. "Geez, Nate, three notes sent home from Ms. Hand?" he said incredulously. "I knew you were struggling with math, but I didn't know it was this bad. How did you manage to talk Dad out of grounding you?"

"Dad doesn't know," Nathan said quietly, staring down at his shoes. "Neither does Mom."

"But Dad's signature is right…" Lucas's voice trailed off and his eyes widened. "Dude, you forged Dad's signature?" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"Keep your voice down!" Nathan hissed, looking fearfully towards the door. "God, Luke, I didn't know what else to do! I've been trying to study, but I've been failing the pop quizzes. And when Ms. Hand gave me the first note to bring home, I panicked, so I traced Dad's signature from a bill I found in his desk. You remember Dad's lecture from the beginning of the year! I was afraid of what would happen if I gave it to him."

Lucas threw the notes down on the bed in frustration. In spite of himself, he understood where Nathan was coming from. About a week before school started, Dan had sat both boys down for a lecture that Luke was familiar with. He talked to them about his and Karen's expectations that their homework be completed on time, that they let them know if they needed any help, and that they bring home nothing less than a C+ on their report cards. Lucas was familiar with these expectations, and at the time, Nathan hadn't seemed bothered by what Dan said. He told their father that he understood what was expected and that he would make him proud. However, he later admitted to Lucas that he was a little nervous, since school wasn't really his thing. Lucas had assured his brother that he would help him; but he hadn't needed to yet, since every time anyone had asked Nathan how school was going, he had told them it was fine.

"Nate, why didn't you ask for help?" Lucas asked exasperatedly. "Haley's like, a math genius, and I think it was Mom's best subject in school. I mean, even I could have helped you!"

"I was embarrassed, okay!" Nathan admitted, fresh tears springing to his eyes. "Look, I've never been smart like you or Haley. I did what I could to get by, and my mom helped me, but I've never brought home a great report card."

"Well, why didn't you tell Dad that? He would have made sure you had a tutor or something."

"I don't know!" Nathan cried. "I just…I didn't want to let him down. I didn't want him to know I was stupid."

"Holy crap, Nate, who told you that you were stupid?" Lucas demanded angrily. "Just because you're not great at school doesn't make you a moron. I don't know exactly what would have happened, but Mom and Dad both would have understood. Now they're just going to be pissed."

"They're going to be even more pissed when I fail tomorrow's math test," Nathan said dejectedly. "I thought maybe I could figure everything out and do well enough that I could get a C+, and then Mom and Dad would never even have to know that I wasn't doing well. But I don't understand anything that we've talked about in class, and that stupid test is worth 40% of our grade! If I bring home a crappy grade on my report card, they'll call Ms. Hand, and she'll tell them about the notes, and I'll be dead meat."

Lucas puffed out his cheeks in frustration. "Look, go get your math book. I'll help you study for the test. We can even sneak out of bed after Mom and Dad are asleep and study all night."

"What's the use?" Nathan asked, flopping on his back. "I'll never figure it all out in time. Maybe I should just tell Dad when he gets home from work. Maybe he'll spank me so hard for forging his signature that I'll be in too much pain to take the test. Either way, he's going to kick my butt. But even worse, I think he's going to be really disappointed to have me for a son."

Lucas bit his lip as he looked down at his brother's defeated face. He knew in his heart that Dan would still love Nathan even if he didn't do well in school. But he also knew that Nathan would be in a lot of trouble with both of their parents for lying about school and forging Dan's signature, and he hated to see his brother in trouble. In the few months Nathan had been living with them, Lucas had developed quite the older brother protective streak. As he saw a lone tear slip down Nathan's cheek, he took a deep breath and made a decision.

"Copy off of my paper tomorrow," he said quietly.

Nathan shot up and looked at him incredulously. "Dude, are you for real?"

"It's your only shot, Nate," Lucas said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Look, we sit in the back of the class, so Ms. Hand probably won't even notice. I'll lean over the desk like I'm concentrating, but really I'll be angling my paper towards you. Just make sure to change a couple of answers so we don't get the exact same score. That's how Skills got busted for cheating in geography last year."

Nathan just started at him, his eyes showing a combination of trepidation and hope. "You know if we get caught, we're both gonna be toast?"

"I know," Lucas said with more confidence than he felt. "At least we'll be able to have our funerals together."

The laugh that the brothers shared over Lucas's lame attempt at humor seemed like a distant memory the next day as they sat next to each other on the couch, with Dan and Karen both glaring down at them.

"What in the hell were you thinking?" Dan demanded, his folded arms making him look even more intimidating than usual. "Do you understand that cheating can go on your permanent record? You're lucky you both didn't get suspended! Especially you, Nathan! I can't believe you would even _think _about forging my signature!"

"Boys, cheating or forging is never okay under any circumstances, and I think you both know that," Karen admonished sharply. "I don't know what on earth could have possessed you two to do something like this, but I'd like an explanation."

Lucas could see Nathan practically shaking out of the corner of his eye, and before he could stop himself, he opened his mouth. "Mom, sometimes cheating could be okay," he protested. "I mean, what if…"

"Lucas, you shut your mouth right now!" Dan snapped, taking a menacing step towards the couch. "There is absolutely no circumstance that would make it okay for you two to be so stupid that you would do something like cheating!"

As soon as Dan's words had left his mouth, Nathan's eyes filled with tears. Choking back a sob, he sprang to his feet and ran out of the room.

"Nathan!" Dan yelled, starting to follow him. Karen opened her mouth to stop him, but Lucas beat her to the punch.

"Leave him alone!" he shouted, jumping to his feet. "This is all your fault anyway!"

Dan whirled back around and crossed the floor in two gigantic strides. Grabbing Lucas by the shoulders, he leaned down and put his face about half an inch from his son's. "You have exactly thirty seconds to explain what you mean by that, or you are going to be in a world of hurt, little boy," he said in a dangerously low voice.

Lucas flinched at his Dad's tone. He knew he was probably going to catch hell for yelling at his Dad, but he swallowed his fear and managed to look Dan straight in the eye. "Nathan was afraid to tell anyone he wasn't doing well in school because of you," he said, trying to keep his voice from wavering. "After all that stuff you said about us needing to get good grades and keep up with homework, he got scared. He doesn't do very well in school, and he was afraid you'd think he was stupid and a disappointment. And now you just proved him right, because you called him _and _me stupid!"

Dan's grip tightened on Lucas's shoulders; not out of anger, but out of a sudden feeling of helplessness that had just swept over him. He thought back to the conversation he'd had with the boys before school began. Lucas had always been so confident with school, but sometimes he got a little lazy, and Dan always gave him that lecture to remind him to stay on the right path. Dan had just assumed that Nathan would be the same as Lucas, but as he thought about it, he realized that he had never talked much with Nathan about school. He knew plenty about Nathan's basketball skills and video game playing ability, but somehow, he'd neglected to find out about Nathan's academic history. In the process of getting to know him and helping him adjust to life without Deb, it just hadn't seemed like an important subject at the time. He looked over his shoulder at Karen, and the look on her face told him that she hadn't asked Nathan about it, either.

Dan guided Lucas back to the couch and sat down next to him. "Lucas, can you answer a few questions for me without yelling?" he asked softly.

"I'll try," Lucas replied, eying him warily.

"Okay. First of all, when did you find out that Nathan wasn't doing well in school?"

"Yesterday. He showed me the notes Ms. Hand had sent home and told me he was worried about the test."

"So you didn't know he was forging my signature before yesterday?"

"No, sir."

"Did he ask you to help him cheat?"

"No," Lucas admitted reluctantly. "That was my idea. I just…I felt really bad for him. He was so scared that you wouldn't love him anymore."

"He said that?" Karen asked incredulously.

"Well, not exactly. But I could see it in his face, you know? He just didn't want to disappoint you guys. I thought if I just helped him with the test, I could help him with other stuff later, and you guys wouldn't have to find out."

Karen sat down on Lucas's other side and put her arm around him. "Lucas, it means a lot to your father and me that you wanted so desperately to help your brother," she said gently. "But honey, you helped him in the wrong way this time. If Nathan had come to us yesterday, even with the forged notes, we would have gotten him help right away. We would have punished him for the forgery, but once that was over, we would have forgiven him and focused on helping him do better in school. But now, we have to punish Nathan for forgery, and we have to punish both of you for cheating."

Tears welled up in Lucas's eyes, but he nodded meekly.

"Luke, I really expected better from you," Dan said firmly, but not unkindly. "I understand that Nathan is still getting used to your mom and I, and he may be insecure about how we're going to react to things. But I'd hoped we'd raised you well enough that you know you can always come to us if there's a problem. You've never tried to deceive us like this before, and that worries me. If you can't trust us, how can we trust you?"

"I do trust you, Dad!" Lucas cried, the tears flowing freely now. "I didn't mean to be bad! I just wanted to help Nathan! Do you really have to punish him? He was so scared, Daddy!"

Within a split second of each other, Karen and Dan both leaned in and wrapped Lucas in a warm embrace. "Sh, Baby Boy, don't cry," Karen soothed, looking at Dan over Lucas's head. "It's all going to be alright."

Dan rubbed the boy's back and tilted his chin up so he could look him in the eye. "Lucas, do you believe that we love both you and your brother?" he asked seriously.

"Y…yes," Lucas said, sniffling and wiping his eyes.

"Okay, then," Dan said gently. "Then you need to trust that, even though we have to punish you, we will still love you when it's over, and we won't give you anything you can't take. Now, we're going to talk some more, but I think your mom and I need to go talk to Nathan before he gets even more upset. You go on up to your room, and stay there until your mom or I come and talk to you."

"Yes, sir," Lucas said obediently, getting up from the couch and hurrying from the room. Once he was gone, Dan put his elbows on his knees and buried his head in his hands.

"What are you thinking, Dan?" Karen asked, placing her hand on his back.

Dan sighed and folded his hands, propping them up against his forehead. "I'm thinking that sometimes, it might be easier if I was just like my Dad," he said in a strangled voice. "You know, when I was in junior high, I cheated on a history test. When Dad found out, he didn't even lecture me; just took his belt off and whipped me until I couldn't sit down for a week. It was horrible for me, but it must have been so easy for him. He didn't have to wonder what questions to ask or what to say to me or how hard to be on me. He just whipped me and it was over."

"Dan!" Karen exclaimed in horror. "Tell me you are not even considering using a belt on either of the boys! They are far too young for that!"

"Of course not!" Dan snapped, which he regretted doing after Karen dropped her hand from his back. He sighed, and placed his hand on her knee. "I didn't say what my Dad did was right," he said in a less harsh tone. "I just said it would be easier."

Karen breathed a little more easily and placed her hand on top of his. "It would be," she said softly. "But you're a better father and a better man than he has ever been."

Dan leaned in and gave her a quick but tender kiss, then helped her off the couch so they could go upstairs together. When they reached the top of the stairs, they were disheartened to hear muffled, anguished sobs coming from Nathan's room. They hurried down the hall and opened his bedroom door without even knocking.

"Oh, Nathan," Karen breathed, sitting down next to her son, who was lying prostrate on the bed, sobbing his heart out into his pillow. "Sweetheart, please stop crying. You'll make yourself sick."

"Natey," Dan said gently, sitting down next to Karen and placing a gentle hand on his son's back. "Come on now. We need to have a talk. Can you sit up and look at us, please?"

Nathan obeyed, more out of fear than out of a desire to talk. He sat up, but he still avoided looking at his parents as he tried to contain his tears.

"Nathan," Dan said, placing his hand on the boy's cheek and tilting his face up slightly. "Why didn't you come to us and tell us you were having trouble in school?"

"Cause…Lucas is smart, and…you're proud of him," Nathan gulped. "And I'm…stupid! You…said…so!"

"Nate, I do not think you are stupid," Dan said emphatically. "I could never think that. I don't think it was the brightest move on your part to forge my signature and cheat, but those were mistakes. They don't make you stupid. You're a smart boy, Nathan, which is why I don't understand why you didn't just ask for help."

"Nathan," Karen said softly, putting comforting arm around him. "I don't think Dad and I explained ourselves properly when we told you our expectations for your school work. We know that you're different from Lucas, and as long as you try your best, we won't be upset if you don't bring home a perfect report card. Part of trying your best, however, is asking for help when you need it, and I do know that we made that clear when we talked to you before."

"Nathan, we aren't angry with you for not doing well in math," Dan explained. "We are angry because you didn't ask for help when you should have. We're angry because you deceived us and your teacher by forging my signature on those notes, and we're angry because you allowed Lucas to help you cheat. Do you understand that?"

Nathan nodded slowly, his lower lip trembling. Karen's heart went out to him, and she hugged him close.

"Baby, Dad and I love you so much," she said reassuringly. "And I wish we could just forget about this, but I think you know that what you did was wrong. But I hope that you realize that absolutely no part of the punishment you're going to get is based on the fact that you're not doing well in school. And I also hope you realize that, even though we have to punish you, we will still love you no matter what. Okay?"

Nathan nodded again, another tear trickling down his cheek. Karen kissed him on top of the head, and then looked at Dan. "I'm going to go talk to Lucas a little bit more," she said, standing up and heading towards the door. "Come in when you're done and we'll trade."

As soon as she closed the door behind her, Dan looked down at his miserable son. "Come here for a minute," he said, holding his arms out invitingly. Nathan leaned in toward him, and Dan picked him up and set him on his lap.

"Nathan, I know I haven't been your Daddy as long as I've been Lucas's," he said, cradling Nathan's head to his chest. "But I love you both exactly the same, no matter how smart, or talented, or well-behaved you are. I love you both more than anything in this world, and I truly hope you never doubt that again."

"I love you too, Daddy," Nathan whispered, his voice muffled against Dan's shirt.

"Good," Dan said, pressing a kiss on his forehead, and then lifting him to his feet. "You know, if you had come to me as soon as you realized you were having trouble, you wouldn't have been punished at all," he said in a more serious tone. "If you had gotten notes sent home, you might have been grounded for a couple of days. If you had forged my signatures, but told me about it, you probably would have gotten a spanking, but it wouldn't have been a bad one. But Nathan, you forged my signature _and _you cheated. You didn't come forward and admit any of it to me. I will not tolerate you lying or being deceptive. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," Nathan said meekly. Dan nodded, and without another word, reached out and unsnapped Nathan's jeans. He lifted the nervous looking child over his lap and tugged his jeans and underwear down to the middle of his thighs. He could feel Nathan trembling as he held him close to his body with his left arm, so he wasted no time in raising his right hand and swinging it down to make contact with Nathan's bottom. Nathan, who was already feeling horrible about the situation, promptly burst into tears at the sting of the first smack. Dan wished he could let him up right then, but he knew he had to impress upon Nathan just how serious forgery and cheating were.

The spanking was about as intense as Dan could bear to make it. Nathan's bottom quickly went from white to pink to red as his father delivered sharp swats all over it. Nathan clutched the bedspread with one fist, and Dan's pant leg in the other. The tears flowed freely from his deep blue eyes, partly from guilt, but partly from relief as well. He was realizing how incredibly foolish he had been to keep his problems away from his parents, and he swore to himself he would never keep things from them again. The sounds of his crying were fairly quiet, but when Dan moved down to his upper thighs, he screeched in pain.

"Ow! Daddy, I'm sorry!" he cried out. "I promise I'll never do anything bad again!"

Dan almost laughed despite the intensity of the situation, knowing that such a promise made by a ten year old boy would be broken within two weeks. Still, his resolve in continuing to punish his son was weakening, so he finished up the spanking with half a dozen hard swats. He carefully pulled Nathan's underwear and jeans up over his sore bottom, then turned him over so he was right side up on Dan's lap.

"Okay, Buddy, it's all over," he soothed, allowing Nathan to soak his shirt with his tears. He could feel Nathan still slightly trembling in his arms, and he inwardly gave thanks that he hadn't been harder on the boy. Despite what he had told Karen about his own father, Dan believed that cheating and forgery were both serious offenses, and when he had first found out about it, he had briefly considering using a paddle on Nathan. But now, rocking Nathan against his chest, he knew that his son had been punished thoroughly and didn't need the added chastisement of an implement.

"Natey, I need to go deal with Lucas now," he said after a while, stroking Nathan's hair. "Do you want Mom to come in here and sit with you?" Nathan nodded, scrubbing at his eyes with his fist. "Okay," Dan said, lifting him off of his lap and setting him carefully on his side on the bed. "I love you, son," he said softly, giving Nathan a kiss on his temple. He rubbed Nathan's back quickly, then left the room and headed for Lucas's door.

Karen was holding Lucas in her arms when Dan walked in. "Nathan wants you," Dan said, coming over and sitting on the bed. "Why don't you guys go on down to the living room once he's ready? I'll be down with Lucas in a little bit."

"Alright," Karen said, giving Lucas a comforting squeeze on the shoulder before standing up. She gave Dan an identical squeeze, sensing from her husband's demeanor that punishing Nathan had not been an easy task. "I think Lucas is feeling pretty talked out," she said in a hushed voice. "Don't feel the need to do too much lecturing. He knows what he did was wrong." Dan nodded, and watched as she closed the door behind her, before directing his attentions back to Lucas.

"I'm so sorry, Dad," Lucas said quietly, before Dan even had a chance to open his mouth. "I know I shouldn't have helped Nathan. He was just so scared about getting in trouble, and I hate to see him like that."

"I'm glad to hear that, son," Dan said understandingly. "Lucas, I really am proud of you for the way you've accepted your brother as a part of your life. And I am so proud of both of you for constantly having each other's backs. I hope you never lose than bond," he said, thinking of the rough couple years in high school when it seemed like he and Keith were constantly at each other's throats. "But, Luke, I know I taught you better than to cheat, and I am extremely disappointed that you would do something that irresponsible and wrong rather than talk to your mother and me. And I think you understand that, so let's just get this over with, okay?"

Lucas nodded, and stood up at Dan's side. "Um…do I have to take my pants down like last time?" he asked softly, blushing furiously as he spoke.

"No," Dan decided. "You can leave them on." He had only taken Nathan's jeans down as an extra penalty for the forgery, but he knew he could deliver a sound spanking over Lucas's jeans.

"Good," Lucas said, sounding extremely relieved for someone who was about to get their butt beat. Dan had large, strong hands, and Lucas was scared enough of a spanking over his pants without having to worry about that big hand hitting bare skin.

Dan bit back a smile at Lucas's reaction as he guided the little boy over his lap. As soon as Lucas was in position, Dan immediately began delivering scalding smacks to his bottom. Lucas knew he deserved what he was getting, so he tried to be stoic as long as he could. But, being only ten years old, his resolve only lasted about forty five seconds, and as Dan started swatting his sit spots, he whimpered, and tears began to stream down his face. Dan could feel Lucas go limp over his lap after about a minute and a half, and he rounded off the spanking with four solid swats to the center of his behind.

"Alright, Buddy, we're done," Dan said gently, turning Lucas over and rocking him as he had Nathan. "You did good, Luke. Everything's forgiven now."

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Lucas whimpered, rubbing the tears away from his eyes with one hand and the sting in his backside away with the other.

"I know, Luke," Dan said softly, giving him a kiss on top of the head. "Do you want to sit here for a while, or do you want to go down to your mom and Nathan?"

"Mom and Nathan," Lucas said immediately. Dan smiled, and picked Lucas up easily, knowing he would rather be carried downstairs than have to walk right after earning himself a sore bottom.

That night, both Scott boys were tucked into bed (on their stomachs, of course) by both of their parents. After everyone had been hugged and soothed downstairs earlier that day, Dan and Karen had grounded the boys for a week. Lucas and Nathan weren't happy about it, but their parents, Karen especially, wanted to keep them close to home for a few days, if anything to reassure them that they could trust their mom and dad and come to them for anything.

After eating dinner that evening, Dan and Karen had sat down in the kitchen with Nathan and talked about how they were going to get him some help in school. They decided that they would schedule a conference with Ms. Hand as soon as possible to talk about ways they could help Nathan. In the meantime, Dan or Karen would go over all of his homework with him every night and help him with anything he didn't understand. Dan even called Keith and arranged for Haley to come over after school a couple days a week so she could help Nathan. Haley was smart as a whip, but she was incredibly humble, and Dan knew that her sweet, encouraging nature could do wonders for Nathan.

As Dan and Karen tucked each of their boys in that night, they reassured them once more that they loved them both, and there was nothing they could do that was so bad they had to hide it from them. They were confident that the message had sunk in when they checked on the boys an hour later, only to find them both sleeping peacefully with hints of smiles on their faces.

**I'm so gushy, I make myself sick sometimes. Anyways, since I've mentioned Dan and Keith's relationship with their father in the past few chapters, it seems only fair that I allow Royal Scott to have his say. And what better time to get everything out in the open than Thanksgiving Day? Stay tuned for that little fiasco! Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hi everyone! Thanks to all of you who left reviews; they mean the world! Hope you enjoy Thanksgiving at the Scott house (because it looks like they won't…)**

Karen Scott was a woman on a mission when she woke up promptly at 6:00 am on Thanksgiving morning. She had only ten hours to make a feast for herself, her husband, her brother-in-law, and their five ravenous children. Shutting the alarm off quickly so Dan could sleep in a bit longer, she threw on sweat pants and a worn t-shirt, stepped into her slippers, and headed down to the kitchen.

After two steaming cups of coffee and a quick bowl of cereal, Karen began cooking up a storm. She got the turkey prepped and in the oven before 7:00, and by the time Dan came stumbling in at 8:00 she had begun working on mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and homemade biscuits. Dan offered his help as he sipped his morning coffee, but Karen barely even acknowledged him, telling him that the best thing he could do was to make sure the house looked presentable and keep the boys out of the kitchen.

Dan was about to escape to his study until the boys woke up, but before he could move from the kitchen island, the phone rang. He went to get it, sidestepping Karen as she pushed past him with a pot of boiling potatoes.

"Hello?" Dan said, leaning against the wall with the receiver. "Hey, Keith, what's up?" he said. Karen was preoccupied with her potatoes, but the tone of Dan's voice when he spoke again caused her to turn around and listen.

"You're kidding me," Dan said in a flat voice. "Son of a…no, it's fine. It's not like there's anything we can do about it. Just…bring some extra alcohol, and I'll make sure all the weapons in the house are concealed so we don't do anything irrational. Listen, I know you want to get over here as soon as possible, but give us a few hours, okay? I've got to go through the house and make sure everything is immaculate. Hang in there, bro. Bye."

"What is it?" Karen asked apprehensively as he hung up the phone.

Dan hung up the phone with a decidedly loud "click" and he turned to his wife, his expression a mix of anger, panic, and resignation.

"Keith's doorbell rang about an hour ago," he said grimly. "It was my parents. They're coming for Thanksgiving dinner."

Karen cursed so loudly that Dan looked out the kitchen door anxiously, hoping that neither of the boys had woken up and heard their mother's language. "Why in the hell do they pull this kind of crap, Dan?" Karen demanded. "Would it have killed them to call first?"

"Kar, I don't know," Dan said, sitting back down and running his hands through his hair in frustration. "You know my parents. I'm sure that my mom has been begging my dad for a while, and he finally gave in at the last minute. I'm a little surprised they haven't come sooner; I know they're curious about Nathan."

"Oh my god, Nathan!" Karen exclaimed in panic. "Dan, your father could scare the living daylights out of him! Lucas knows what to expect, but Nathan won't know what hit him. And what if Roy finds out about Nathan's problems with school? He'll completely crush what little self-esteem he has. And…"

"Karen, calm down!" Dan snapped, more sharply than he meant to. "I know what my father is capable of without you making a scene about it!"

Karen's eyes glossed over with frustrated tears, and she threw down the dishtowel she'd been wringing in her hands. She turned away from Dan and leaned up against the counter, struggling not to let the tears fall.

Dan stood up and walked over to his wife, putting his arms around her in a warm embrace. "Honey, try not to worry too much," he said, his voice now gentle and reassuring in spite of his anger at the situation. "I will prepare the boys and make sure the house is spotless. You just worry about getting dinner on the table. If there's one thing in this world my father has never found fault with, it's your cooking," he said with a smile.

Karen gave him a half smile back through her tears, followed by a soft kiss on the lips. "I'll do my best," she promised. "Look after the house, but make your first priority the boys. I've been dreading the day that Nathan meets Roy, and I was hoping we'd have more time to prepare him. Like, say, eight years."

"I know," Dan said understandingly. "But this is the hand we've been dealt, so we're just going to have to make it work." He gave Karen another kiss, then left her to her cooking while he went upstairs.

Lucas was not happy when his father woke him up before 9:00 am on a holiday, and he was even less happy when he heard his grandparents were coming. He liked his Grandma Mae alright-she was always nice to him and she made good cinnamon rolls for breakfast. But Grandpa Roy made him nervous. He was always so gruff, and he could tell that both Keith and Dan became uncomfortable around him.

Dan took the still sleepy Lucas into Nathan's room and woke his youngest son up as gently as possible. If Lucas was unhappy when he heard the news; Nathan was frightened out of his wits. He had no experience with grandparents, and he didn't know what to expect from them. All he knew about Roy and Mae was the story Keith had told him about Dan getting caught egging the house. Nathan thought about all the times he had gotten in trouble since he came to live with his dad, and he prayed that no one would mention anything over dinner, lest Roy decide he needed an extra lesson.

Dan sat both of the boys down and explained to them that they needed to be on their best behavior for their grandparents. There was to be no rough-housing, no name-calling or slang language, and they must be respectful to all of the adults present. Nathan and Lucas both nodded their consent, but Nathan looked like a deer caught in the headlights as Dan talked to them, so Dan gave him an extra hug before sending them to go eat breakfast.

Later that morning, Lucas was straightening up the living room, while Nathan was using a rag and furniture polish and all of the woodwork. "Lucas?" Nathan asked. "Are you scared of Grandpa Roy?"

"Yeah, kinda," Lucas answered honestly. "I think he used to be in the army or something, and he's always ordering people around, even Dad and Uncle Keith. I think even they're kinda scared of him."

"Do you think he's gonna hate me?" Nathan asked quietly.

"I don't think so," Lucas said uncertainly. "I mean, he doesn't really hate any of us. Mom says he loves us, but he doesn't know how to show it. He doesn't even hate Peyton, though, and she's always mouthing off to him."

"Maybe I'll hide behind her all night," Nathan said, only half kidding. Lucas nodded his agreement, and the two brothers continued to clean, neither of them feeling much of the holiday spirit.

By 2:00, the house was completely pristine, and the members of the Scott family weren't looking so bad themselves. Dan had put on a shirt and tie with some khakis, and Nathan and Lucas were dressed almost identically to their father. Karen did allow Dan to watch over the turkey for fifteen minutes while she went and changed into a dress, but she shooed him away the second she was back downstairs. Dan waited anxiously with the boys in the living room, and all three of them jumped when the doorbell rang.

"Okay guys, here goes nothing," Dan said, putting his hands on the boys' shoulders as he led them to the door. He was trying to reassure them with his touch, but if he was honest with himself, he was also trying to give himself some support as he walked the last mile. He took a deep breath, and opened the door.

"Mom!" he said, giving his mother a smile and a hug as she bustled into the house. "What a surprise!"

"Oh Danny," Mae said, giving her youngest son an affectionate squeeze. "It's been too long, sweetheart. I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Mom," Dan said sincerely. And he had, but he had to force himself to keep smiling as he faced the man standing behind her. "Dad," he said cordially, sticking out his hand.

"Dan," Roy said, shaking his son's hand firmly. "You're looking good. Staying in shape?"

"Doing my best," Dan said, trying not to grin as Keith subtly showed him the large bottle of whiskey he had brought behind their father's back. "Mom, Dad, there's someone I think you should meet," he said, bringing Nathan forward and placing his hands on his shoulders. "This is your grandson, Nathan Lee Scott."

"Nathan," Mae said warmly, bending down and giving him a tight embrace. "It is so good to meet you. I'm Grandma Mae."

"Hi," Nathan said shyly, relaxing a little bit as Mae gave him a genuine smile. He quickly tensed again, however, when he looked up at the burly looking man standing next to her. "Hello, sir," he said quietly, forcing himself to meet Roy's appraising gaze.

"Nathan," Roy said, not unkindly, but certainly lacking the affection of his wife. "It's good to meet you, son."

Lucas could see that Nathan was nervous, and he decided to intervene on his brother's behalf. "Dad, is it okay if we all go play upstairs?" he asked politely, after he had given Mae a hug.

Dan started to answer, but Roy cut him off. "Now, I think your grandmother and I should get to know Nathan a little bit before he goes running off," Roy said with finality. "Why don't you come in the living room, young man, and tell us all about yourself?"

Nathan looked like he was about to pee his pants, but this time Haley came to his rescue. Stepping out from behind her grandparents, she took Nathan's hand in her own. "I'll come with you," she said softly, giving him a smile. Nathan looked so relieved that Dan half expected him to take Haley in his arms and kiss her full on the mouth.

"As much as I love to talk, I think I'll go with Lucas," Brooke said, eager to get away from all the tension in the room. Peyton didn't say anything, but between having to wear a dress and being stuck with her grandparents, she was looking downright murderous, and she quickly followed Lucas and Brooke out of the room.

As soon as they were up the stairs and out of earshot, Brooke threw her arms around Lucas. "Thank you _so _much," she said gratefully. "This morning has been terrible! Grandpa Roy never even smiles and he told Daddy three times that he looked like he was out of shape. I think Daddy snuck a shot of whiskey after the third time," she confided.

"I wish he'd given me a shot of whiskey," Peyton grumbled. "Grandpa told me to sit up straight twice on the car ride over here, and Grandma kept fixing my dress and trying to put a bow in my hair. I almost kicked her in the shins, but Dad would have whipped my butt."

"Poor Nathan," Lucas said, looking worriedly back towards the stairs. "At least Haley's with him. She's got a lot of guts for being the youngest."

Unfortunately, back downstairs in the living room, Haley wasn't able to do much except hold Nathan's hand tightly as Roy drilled him about basketball and school.

"So Nathan, what position do you play?" Roy asked, his words coming out fast and sharp like miniature torpedoes.

"Um, nothing yet," Nathan said awkwardly. "I mean, I've never played on an organized team before. I started Junior League last week, but we've just done drills so far."

"Hm," Roy grunted, obviously displeased. "Well, you'll have to work extra hard to catch up with the other boys. There's no room for slackers in the sport of basketball, not if you want to succeed."

"Nathan is an excellent player," Dan interrupted, placing a comforting hand on Nathan's shoulder. "He's one of the best ball handlers I've ever seen for his age. I've been dropping hints to his coach to make him the point guard. With Lucas at shooting guard, I think they'll be even more famous than their Dad was back in his day."

"I suppose there's a chance of that, so long as neither of them drops out of college," Roy said pointedly. "Let's hope they have their priorities in line." Dan felt his temper flare at his father's not so subtle jab regarding Dan's decision to drop out of school to marry Karen and raise Lucas. He wanted to fight back, but he didn't think Nathan had picked up on the insinuation, so he left it alone for the time being.

"Speaking of school, how are your grades, Nathan?" Roy asked, sounding more like a police investigator than a grandfather.

"Roy, please don't interrogate the boy," Mae said, albeit not very forcefully.

"Mae, I am asking a perfectly legitimate question," Roy argued. "Nathan?"

"Well, I haven't gotten my report card yet," Nathan stammered. "But I guess it will be okay. I mean…"

"You guess?" Roy demanded. "Well, son, you better figure it out pretty damn soon. Keith never made good grades, and look what happened to him. Fixing up cars in his spare time-God knows he never would have amounted to anything had Dan not partnered with him in business."

Keith was in the kitchen helping Karen, something Dan was immensely grateful for in that moment, as he did not hear what Roy said. But Haley was not immune to her grandfather's digs at her father, and Nathan felt her hand go limp in his as she sank back into the couch and tried not to cry.

Dan saw the look on his youngest niece's face, and he was about to instruct Nathan and Haley to go upstairs when Karen came into the living room. "Thanksgiving dinner is served!" she announced, her smile faltering a bit as she saw Haley's woeful face and Nathan's bewildered eyes.

"Great!" Dan said, trying to mask his relief at the pronouncement. "Why don't you all head into the dining room? I'll go grab the other kids from upstairs."

The Scott family began dinner with a prayer, and for a while everyone was occupied with passing around and serving the potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, biscuits, and sweet potato casserole. Dan sat at the head of the table and carved the turkey, whispering to Nathan and Haley that they could have the wishbone later. Brooke and Lucas almost got into an argument over who got the last drumstick, but a warning look from Keith silenced them both before Roy could notice that they were fighting.

Everyone tucked in to their full plates, and for a brief moment, Dan, Karen, and Keith believed that the dinner might go off without a major catastrophe. Ornery as Roy was, he did love Karen's cooking, and he was keeping to himself as he consumed his portion of the feast. Unfortunately, Mae ate like a bird, and before long she made a statement that caused the afternoon to take a turn for the worse.

"Nathan," she said, putting her fork down beside her plate. "It must be so difficult for you this Thanksgiving without your mother. I can't imagine losing the only family you've ever known. You must be a very brave little boy."

Nathan looked at her with wide eyes and swallowed the bite of turkey in his mouth, feeling it grate the back of his suddenly dry throat like sandpaper. "I'm alright," he said softly, lowering his gaze back to his plate. "I mean…I have more family now."

"And we're glad you do," Karen said sincerely, rubbing his back comfortingly.

"We all are," Brooke chimed in. "We love having Nathan around. It's nice because Lucas isn't the only boy anymore. And since Haley's been helping Nathan with school, we've been able to come stay with Aunt Karen and Uncle Dan a lot more than usual."

Roy's head snapped up from his plate. "Haley's been helping Nathan with school?" he asked suspiciously, setting his knife and fork down. "Nathan, aren't you a year older than Haley?"

"They're in the same class, Roy," Karen explained, a hint of an edge coming through in her voice.

"Then they should be equals in the classroom," Roy said with a glare, fixing his steel blue eyes on Nathan. "Thought you said you were doing alright in school?"

"I…I am," Nathan stuttered, looking at his mother with pleading eyes. "I mean, I am now…I was having trouble…and…"

"And what?" Roy barked, sensing that the boy was holding something back.

"Oh, for God's sake," Peyton snapped, throwing her napkin down on the table in irritation. "He cheated on a math test, okay? He didn't understand it, and he didn't want to disappoint anyone. But now Haley's helping him and he's doing much better. Now will you stop bullying him already?"

"Peyton!" Keith admonished sharply, not wanting her to be next in the line of fire. But it was too late, as Roy leaned across the table to look his oldest granddaughter in the eye.

"You better watch your tone, young lady," he growled. "I know your Daddy probably doesn't raise you to have the best manners, but you will be respectful to me."

"My Dad raises me just fine," Peyton said hotly. "He raises me to stand up for people when they're down, he raises me to respect people who deserve it, and he raises me better than you raised him, you nasty ogre!"

Roy leapt to his feet and started around the table toward Peyton, a look in his eyes that both his sons and his wife recognized. Keith jumped up and started to head him off, but Dan was closer, and he quickly stood and stopped Roy with a hand to his shoulder.

"Back off, Dad," he said quietly.

"That kid is a brat who needs to be taught to respect her elders," Roy said furiously, pointing an indignant finger in Peyton's direction. "And apparently your new son needs to be taught not to be a cheat and a liar!"

"Unless you're interested in finding out better ways to parent than your authoritative methods, it is absolutely no business of yours how we raise our children," Keith said in a hard voice, making his way around the table and standing by Dan, lest Roy try to make another move towards the kids. "Peyton and Nathan are both good kids. So are all of the others, and Dan, Karen and I are good parents. We're not perfect, but we're a damn sight better than you ever were!"

"Don't you talk to me that way, boy!" Roy roared, taking a menacing step towards Keith.

"Roy, please!" Mae begged.

"Hush, Mae!" he ordered. "I am still their father!"

"Not anymore, you're not," Dan said, his chilly words striking Roy dumb for a moment. "Until you can learn to treat us and our families with respect, you are not welcome in my house. My son is not a cheat or a liar, and my niece is not a brat. And even if they were, they don't deserve to be called such in their own homes."

"It was one thing to belittle and abuse us," Keith added frostily, gaining momentum as he saw Roy take a faltering step backwards. ""We had no one to protect us, since Mom was and still is too weak to stand up to you. But our kids have someone to protect them, and I swear I will kill you before you ever get the chance to hurt one of them. Consider yourself no longer welcome in my house anymore, either."

Roy gave his sons a cold, appraising look. There had been many times over the years when Dan and Keith had backed down under that steely glare, but this time, together, they both held fast.

"Come on, Mae," Roy said shortly. "We're leaving." Without another word, he exited the dining room.

Mae, her eyes filled with tears, looked around the room in disbelief. Her eyes passed over her granddaughters, her grandsons, her daughter-in-law, and finally, her two sons. She looked at Dan and Keith pleadingly, a tear slipping down her cheek as she struggled to find the words she wanted to say.

"Mae!" Roy yelled from the foyer. Mae blinked, and without another word, she quietly left the room and followed her husband.

The front door slammed a few seconds afterwards, leaving a stunned and silent family in its wake. Nathan had started crying as soon as Roy had called him a cheat, and Karen lifted him in her lap as Mae had left. Lucas got up and came over to his mom and brother once the door slammed. Brooke went over to her father and wrapped him in a ferocious hug, which he returned silently. Haley, seeing that Dan was looking sad, quietly got up and gave him a gentle hug. Dan picked her up without a word and held her close.

Finally, Peyton, who had been slouched over in chair with a defiant look on her face ever since arguing with Roy, broke the silence. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you," she said irritably, "but this Thanksgiving I'm thankful that Dad and Uncle Dan finally grew a pair and kicked that jerk out."

All heads in the room whirled around to face her in shock. Keith was so dumbfounded; he didn't even know what to say to her, when all of a sudden a muffled laugh pierced the awkward quiet in the room.

"Sorry," Karen said, covering her mouth with her hand. "It's just…I was thinking the same thing," she admitted sheepishly.

Brooke giggled, which set Lucas off, and before long, the entire room was laughing in spite of themselves. Dan went over and hugged his wife, giving Nathan a tender kiss and a warm smile, which Nathan happily returned. Keith pulled Peyton out of her seat and yanked her into a warm bear hug.

"You can be an absolute monster sometimes, you know that?" he said, giving her a mock spank on her bottom. "But I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world."

"I know," Peyton said, looking up at Keith and giving him the first smile she'd flashed all day.

"Alright," Karen said, lifting Nathan out of her lap. "As much as I'm enjoying our little Walton's reenactment, this food is getting cold, and I didn't get a chance to eat much before World War Three commenced. So everyone sit down, or no pumpkin pie for dessert!"

Everyone hurried to their seats, and before long, the Roy incident was forgotten as the eight members of the Scott family celebrated Thanksgiving in peace.

**Yuck, I don't think I'll ever write Roy again-talk about douchey. But I love the rest of the Scott family-they're so cute! Coming up next: Here comes Santa Claus! It's Christmastime in the Scott house! Don't worry, no irritable relatives will be showing up for this holiday. Everything should go off without a hitch, although I'm sure the boys will manage to do something irritating during the celebration. Thanks for reading!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi everyone! Okay, I kind of lied when I said the boys would get into some mischief over the holidays; this turned into a pretty fluffy chapter. There is a little bit of basketball drama, though! Just another side note from me based on the comment I received for this fic regarding my editing capabilities: I had my mom, who has a master's in English, read over both stories; just to make sure I wasn't crazy and had been making a ton of errors. She confirmed what I already knew: there **_**aren't **_**a lot of spelling and grammar errors throughout either of my fics. There are between eight and ten typos total, which hardly qualifies as "a lot". Even Harry Potter has a typo every once in a while. And as Forrest Gump wisely said: "And that's all I have to say about that." Be sure and read my Author's Note at the bottom. Enjoy, and please review!**

"Hey Mom!" Nathan called as he came traipsing through the kitchen from the driveway.

"Hi Sweetie," Karen said, giving a warm smile. "Did Lucas come in with you?"

"Nah, he's outside working on his crossover," Nathan explained, hanging up his winter jacket and plopping himself onto a stool at the kitchen island. "He lost the ball twice during practice last night, and Dad lectured him about it on the way home. He said he wanted to see some improvement by the time he got home today. I was helping him with it, but I'm getting really tired."

Karen looked out the window to see Lucas focusing intently on dribbling a basketball. "Well, he seems to be okay," she said with a sigh. She knew that Dan was trying to encourage Lucas to be better, but maybe it was about time she had another talk with him about the proper way to give encouragement. "But if your father isn't home within the hour, I'm making Lucas come inside. It's getting out cold out there."

"Tell me about it," Nathan said, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "I don't think I've ever been this cold. I thought North Carolina was supposed to be warm all year."

"It usually is," Karen said with a smile. "I remember a couple of winters that were really cold when I was little. The year I was your age, we got half a foot of snow just in time for Christmas."

Nathan's eyes lit up. "Snow?" he asked excitedly. "I've never seen snow up close before. We never got any in Goldsboro. Do you think we'll get any for Christmas?"

"I don't know," Karen said, laughing at Nathan's sudden enthusiasm. "But whether we get snow or not, I think this is the perfect weather for hot chocolate. Would you like me to fix you some?"

"Yes please."

"Coming right up. And after I finish with that, would you like to help me with some of the cooking? I have a lot to do over the next two days."

"Sure," Nathan said agreeably. "What are we making?"

"Well, I've got to make dinner for Christmas Eve, brunch for Christmas Day, plus plenty of cookies and other snacks for the time in between," Karen said, reading over her list. "Tell you what; I'm working on some casseroles, but there's a lot of chopping involved with that. So why don't you start mixing up some cookies for me?"

"By myself?" Nathan questioned uncertainly.

"I think you can handle it," Karen said with an assuring smile. "Let me get you the recipe and the ingredients, and you let me know if you need any help."

Mother and son worked happily side by side for about half an hour before either of them spoke again. Nathan was sifting flour into a bowl when he looked up at Karen. "My mom never had time to make cookies," he blurted out. "She always bought the slice and bake kind so we would have some on Christmas Day. But she never had time to make them from scratch."

Karen stopped working on her breakfast casserole and sat down by Nathan at the island. "I'm sure that made her sad," she said gently. "It must have been very hard for her to have to work so often. I know she'd rather have spent her time with you."

Nathan didn't say anything, but suddenly he reached out his arms for Karen to take him in her lap. "Can I tell you something?" he asked unsurely, once he had been settled on Karen's knee.

"Of course, sweetheart," she said, brushing his hair back from his forehead.

"I really miss my mom," he said quietly. "Like, every day, I miss her. But…I don't miss my life with her. I had to do a lot of stuff for myself, because she was always working. Even when she had time off, she had to spend a lot of time fixing pipes in our apartment or paying the bills. I didn't mind at the time, but now, living with you and Dad and Lucas, I just…I like my life here," he finished in a whisper.

"You know what?" Karen said softly, touching her forehead to his. "It's okay to feel that way. Just because your mother is gone, doesn't mean you have to stop living. She would want you to be happy with your new life, especially this Christmas. Okay?"

"Okay," Nathan replied, giving his mom a hug. "I love you, Mom."

"Love you too, Baby," she said, kissing the top of his head. She heard a car horn from outside, and she turned around to look out the window. "Looks like Dad's home," she said, lifting Nathan off of her lap. "Finish mixing the dough for me, then you can go back outside with him and Lucas."

Since Karen had checked on him out the window the first time, Lucas had been growing more and more frustrated. He was getting cold and tired, and he kept losing control of the ball. He wanted to go inside, but he figured Dan would just scold him for being lazy. He wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad when Dan's car pulled into the driveway. His dad's arrival meant that he could go inside soon, but it also meant that there was a possibility for another lecture on what he was doing wrong.

"Hey Luke!" Dan said, shutting his car door behind him. "Glad to see you out here working, son. Ready to show me what you got?"

"No," Lucas said grumpily, hurling the ball toward the basket and watching in frustration as it bounced off the rim.

"Hey," Dan admonished. "There's no need for the attitude. You want to tell me what's up?"

"It's just not going to be good enough, okay?" Lucas exploded, stomping over to the porch steps and sitting down in a huff. "God, I'm not Nathan!"

"Whoa, tone down the yelling," Dan said sharply. "Son, what is this all about? No one ever said you had to be like Nathan." Dan walked over and sat down next to Lucas with a concerned look.

"You might as well have," Lucas muttered angrily, folding his arms and turning away from his dad. He knew he was treading on dangerous ground by being disrespectful to Dan, but he was so irritable that he just didn't care. "You spend the whole car ride home last night telling me how much I sucked, and you didn't say one word to Nathan."

"Okay, first of all, I did not say that you sucked, nor did I ever think that," Dan said firmly. "And second of all, my lecturing you last night had nothing to do with comparing you to Nathan. I saw that there was a specific skill that you needed to improve on, and I wanted you to work on it. Not so you would be better than your brother, but so you could improve your own game. I've told you many times that there are aspects of the game in which you perform better at than Nathan, and vice versa."

"Then why didn't you lecture him?" Lucas demanded.

"Because he didn't have as much playing time as you last night and I didn't see one specific thing that needed the most work," Dan explained. "With you, it was obvious what your problem was. Other than the crossover, you played a pretty good game. I'm sorry if I forgot to mention that to you," he apologized.

Lucas glanced over at his father. "You don't think I suck?" he asked quietly.

"No, I do not think you suck," Dan said emphatically. "And the next time you think I feel that way, could you please talk to me about it before throwing a tantrum?"

"I didn't throw a tantrum!" Lucas said indignantly.

"Could have fooled me," Dan said mildly, raising his eyebrows. "Tell you what, why don't we work on your crossover after Christmas? It's getting pretty cold out here, and I don't want you getting sick. I also think it's best if we quit before that mouth of yours says something it regrets."

"Sorry," Lucas said, blushing slightly pink. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"No, you shouldn't have. Which is why Santa is probably going to leave a switch in your stocking," Dan deadpanned, getting to his feet and holding out a hand for Lucas.

"Dad!" Lucas complained. "That's just mean!"

"Yeah…so is this," Dan said mischievously. He picked Lucas up and threw him over his shoulder, slapping his bottom a few times in jest.

"Ow! Mom!" Lucas cried as they went into the house. "Save me!"

Karen did indeed save him, and for the rest of the evening and the day after, the Scott family was completely immersed in their Christmas preparations. Karen cooked up enough food to feed well over two dozen people, with a lot of help from Nathan, of course. Dan snuck off a few times to do some last minute shopping, and then retreated to his study when he got home to wrap presents. Lucas kept trying to sneak in and steal a glance at some of the gifts, until Dan finally threatened to actually use a switch on him if he didn't get out of there.

Christmas Eve morning finally arrived, and the clan drove over to the beach house. The car was filled to the brim with presents and food, not to mention that chatter of two very excited little boys. When they pulled up to the beach house, they discovered the Keith had beaten them there, and was in the process of trying to lift a humongous pine tree from the top of his truck.

"Need some help, Bro?" Dan called as he climbed out of his own car.

"Yeah," Keith said reluctantly. "I'm getting too old for this."

Karen laughed as she got out of the car. "Keith you're only thirty-one," she chided. "Hardly on death's door."

"True; but raising three preteen girls takes about ten years off your life every year," he quipped.

"Where are the girls?" Karen asked, helping the boys out of the car.

"Inside, unpacking all the decorations," Keith said. "Someone actually better get in there fast. I shudder to think what will happen if we leave Brooke alone with tinsel and cans of fake snow."

Karen took Keith's advice to heart, and after loading herself and the boys down with numerous containers of food, the three headed into the house while Dan and Keith continued to struggle with the tree.

"Aunt Karen! Nathan! Lucas!" Brooke squealed, bouncing over as they came through the door. "You're here! And it's Christmas!" she sang, trying to throw her arms around all three of them at once.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Karen said with a laugh. "I guess I don't need to ask how you're doing."

"I'm wonderful," Brooke sighed happily. "I love Christmas! You get to dress nice, and have lots of decorations, and sing beautiful songs! It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

"Brooke, you sound like a freaking Hallmark commercial," Peyton complained, looking slightly disgusted with her sister. "Luke, Nate, you want to help us get everything ready for the tree? There's a lot of crap to sort through over here."

"She is such a Grinch!" Brooke whispered dramatically, pulling Nathan and Lucas over to living room. "Nathan, you help Haley with the ornaments. Luke, you untangle these lights," she directed. "I'm taking care of the fake snow."

"Hi," Haley said sweetly as Nathan sat down beside her.

"Hi," he replied. "So, what exactly are you doing?"

"I'm unwrapping all of the ornaments and putting hooks on them," she explained. "A lot of them are Aunt Karen's, but some of them were Mommy's. Christmas was her favorite time of year," she added softly.

"My Mom's, too," Nathan said, looking at the ornaments wistfully. "Our apartment wasn't big enough for a tree, but we would always make paper chains to hang on the walls, and she hung ornaments on the doors."

"This was my mommy's favorite ornament," Haley said reverently, pulling out a ceramic angel with blond hair and a serene smile. "It was always the first one she hung on the tree. Now I have to hang it up for her."

Nathan stared at the ornament for a moment. "You know, it kind of looks like my mom," he said in wonderment. "Her hair was that color, and that's her smile. It's…wow," he breathed.

Haley regarded him for a minute, then handed him the angel ornament. "Here," she said. "You hang it on the tree this year."

"You sure?" Nathan asked uncertainly.

Haley nodded. "Mommy would want it that way," she said confidently. "Both of our Mommies would."

Nathan reached out and gave his little cousin a hug, which she returned happily. They didn't have long to hug, though, as Dan and Keith came blundering in with the Christmas tree. As soon as the large pine was set up, everyone got to work on trimming its branches. Nathan carefully hung the angel ornament in a special place at the front of the tree. Keith had to reprimand Brooke for pushing Lucas out of the way in order to throw on more tinsel. Dan lifted Haley on his shoulders once they were done, and she placed a shining gold star on top. Keith plugged in the lights, and the whole family stood together for a while, perfectly content to admire the tree's beauty.

That night, they all sat down to a Christmas Eve feast of ham with about a dozen side dishes. After dinner, they drove into town to attend the Christmas Eve church service, which surprisingly, all the kids managed to behave for. Once they were home, the parents sent the children to get in their pajamas. Karen brought out a tray with mugs of hot chocolate and homemade cookies, and once the kids were settled with their evening snack, Dan began to read "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Lucas sat on his lap and turned the pages, as he had done every year since he was two. Karen held Nathan and Haley in her arms, both of whom were becoming drowsy listening to Dan's deep voice. Keith held Brooke and Peyton, who were both wide awake and clearly not in need of the sugar the cookies and cocoa were providing.

"…But I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight, Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!" Dan closed the book and patted Lucas on the back. "And on that note, I see five sleepy kids who need to say 'goodnight'."

"Aw!" Brooke complained. "I can't sleep tonight! It's too exciting; and besides, I'm not tired."

"Me neither," Lucas and Peyton chorused together.

"Tell you what," Karen said, stroking Haley's hair as the little girl's eyes fluttered in exhaustion. "You guys need to go upstairs and get into bed, but you don't have to sleep. You do, however, have to listen to me sing Christmas carols."

Peyton gave her Aunt a mild glare. "You play dirty, Aunt Karen," she said grouchily. "There's no way I can stay awake if you're singing."

"Well, isn't that convenient?" Karen said smugly. "Come on; kiss your Dads goodnight, and we'll all go upstairs."

All five of the kids did her bidding, although Peyton and Brooke grumbled about it. Karen herded them all upstairs, having to help Haley as her eyes were drooping closed on the staircase. The adults had unfolded two couches in the family room earlier, hoping that a more comfortable place to sleep than the floor would encourage the kids to drift off. Karen got the girls tucked into one couch and the boys into the other. She propped herself up on a pillow next to her boys, then began to sing a slew of slower Christmas carols. Haley was dead to the world after "The First Noel", Nathan and Peyton began to breathe heavily in the middle of "Silent Night", and Brooke and Lucas's eyes finally closed during the last notes of "O Little Town of Bethlehem". Karen smiled and gave each child a gentle kiss on the forehead, then tiptoed out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. She went back downstairs and helped Dan and Keith get all the presents ready and eat the milk and cookies for Santa. Around midnight, the exhausted adults finished their work and trudged wearily up to bed.

It seemed like the three elder Scotts had just dozed off when an excited shriek tore through the house. Karen bolted upright in bed, her eyes blurred and confused. She looked over at the clock and groaned to see that it was barely 4:00 in the morning. The initial shriek was followed by a couple more, and Dan hurriedly sat up in bed.

"What the hell?" he said, rubbing his eyes in frustration. "They know the rules: no getting out of bed until 6:00 on Christmas morning."

"They're just kids, Dan," Karen said with a sigh. "Come on, let's try and get them back to sleep if we can."

Dan and Karen met an unhappy looking Keith in the hallway. They approached the door of the kids' room, but were nearly knocked over when a blur of messy blonde curls flung the door open and came tearing out of the room.

"Peyton Elizabeth!" Keith said sternly, grabbing her by the arm. "What in the world has gotten into you? You know the rules about getting up this early."

"But Daddy," she said excitedly, her eyes shining brightly, "it's snowing!"

"What?" Karen asked in surprise, going into the bedroom. Brooke, Lucas, and Haley were hurriedly getting dressed in their warmest clothes, but Nathan was at the window, his face pressed against the glass.

"Look, Mom!" he said happily, giving her a glance over his shoulder. "It did snow for Christmas!"

Karen came to stand beside him, and was delighted to see that there were indeed fluffy, white flakes of snow swirling through the air. She turned back to Dan and Keith, a twinkle in her eye. "I think we can make an exception to the 6:00 am rule just this once, don't you?" she prompted.

Dan and Keith shared a look, and an indulgent smile appeared on both of their faces. "Everybody meet downstairs in five minutes," Dan relented. "We'll all go out together." His announcement was met with a room full of cheers, and Peyton even threw her arms around his waist with a huge grin on her face.

Even though the night was pitch black, the Scotts had a fantastic time playing in the snow. The girls were content to simply dance around, trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues. Dan and Keith, however, decided to sneak attack the boys with snowballs, which led to a wild snowball fight during which Nathan distracted Dan so Lucas could stuff snow down his shirt.

Finally, just as everyone's lips were turning blue, Karen announced that it was finally close enough to 6:00 that they could open presents. The kids scampered into the house, and waited impatiently while the adults brewed hot chocolate and coffee to warm everyone up. Once everyone was settled in the living room with their drinks, all five Scott children began tearing into their presents. Lucas and Nathan beamed when they opened brand new basketball shoes and gym bags. Peyton was thrilled with her record player and vinyl records, and Brooke was already trying on the new make-up and perfume that Karen had bought for her. Haley's eyes shined as she cradled the beautiful porcelain doll Keith had gotten her, and all five of the kids were ecstatic with the candy and games that filled their stockings.

After the hubbub with the children had calmed down, it was time for the adults to open gifts. Both sets of kids had gotten their fathers personalized coffee mugs and framed school photos of each child. Karen had knitted her brother-in-law and husband new sets of gloves, scarves, and hats, plus she had bought Dan a new watch. Lucas and Nathan shyly presented their mother with a vase that they had hand painted at a local pottery store. She gushed over it and gave them each a kiss, but neither one compared to the kiss she gave Dan when he presented her with a gorgeous sapphire ring.

"Ew, gross!" Lucas complained when Karen attacked Dan with her lips. "Can't you guys even give us a break on the holidays?"

"Not a chance," Karen said good-naturedly, pulling him into her lap and smothering him with kisses. Dan held his arms out to Nathan, who jumped up on his lap with his new Gameboy in his hands.

"So, did you guys get everything you wanted?" Keith asked, cuddling Haley and her new doll.

"Almost," Brooke said, flitting over to him as she attempted to put on mascara.

"Almost? What did Santa forget?" Keith chuckled, looking around the room at the dozens of toys and other gifts.

"I asked him for a baby cousin," Brooke said nonchalantly, batting her eyelashes at a handheld mirror.

Dan choked on his coffee so hard that Nathan pounded his back in alarm.

"Dad, are you okay?" he asked concernedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Dan coughed, glancing up at his wife. "Just…startled me, that's all."

Karen gave him a smile. "Hey, Lucas has been asking Santa for a little brother all these years, and he finally got one. Who knows what could happen?" she said mischievously. She turned towards Peyton, who was trying to show her the record player, leaving Dan to sit in bewildered silence.

**I hope everyone was okay with the lack of dialogue in this chapter. I just love describing Christmas! It's my favorite holiday, but being a minister's kid, my family is always busy that time of year, so we don't have a lot of traditions or time to just hang out and enjoy the season. So it's always nice to get to write about the Christmas I wish I could have. Coming up next: Keith has to go out of town, leaving the girls with their Aunt and Uncle. Dan's going to have quite a time dealing with three preteen girls, but that won't be the only thing he's dealing with! You may take whatever you want from that insinuation. Alright, now for the bad news. The reason I've been updating so frequently is that I am moving to go to law school tomorrow. I start law camp next week, and classes begin the week after that. It's my first year, which is always the most stressful for law school. Let me be clear: I am not giving up either story! Repeat: I am not giving up either story! One more time, kids: I am not giving up either story! However, my updates are not going to be coming as frequently as they have been. My original goal is going to be to post at least one chapter a week, and we'll see how that goes. If I can post more, great. If I can't post that much, just be patient with me. I have a lot of the next chapters outlined, and I usually crank each chapter out in less than four hours. This story does not have a definite timeline yet, but A Mother's Duties does. But again; I am not giving up until both stories are complete, so don't waste your time worrying about that. Thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi everyone! See, I knew I could get one chapter for each story written in a week. Well, things might be different once actual classes start, but for now let's enjoy it. If you guys have any suggestions for what you want to see from this fic (besides the kids getting older; we'll deal with that in the AN at the bottom), then please let me know! I know where I want the story to go long term, but I'm running low at the moment on ways for the kids to get in trouble and/or have drama. Please keep reviewing! I know it's frustrating that my updates aren't as frequent, but I hope I don't lose my readers and reviewers in the process! I hope you enjoy this chapter; I had a huge grin on my face the whole time I was writing it!**

"Game point, little brother," Lucas said tauntingly, dribbling the basketball in front of Nathan. "Think you can stop me?"

"You bet," Nathan smirked. Lucas smirked back, and with a bit of fancy footwork, danced around Nathan and put the ball up through the hoop.

"Oh yeah!" he whooped, raising his fists in the air. "And Lucas Scott takes back the 11 Championship!"

"Yeah, after losing to his little brother three times in a row," Nathan said smugly.

"Shut up," Lucas said, giving him a shove. It was obvious he didn't mean anything by it, however, as he gave Nathan a smile and sat down by his feet. "So, you ready to call it a day?"

"If you don't mind, I'd like to stay out here just a little bit longer," Nathan said, plopping down next to his brother. "Not that I don't love our cousins, but I'm not used to being outnumbered by women."

"I think Dad's a little overwhelmed with it too," Lucas commented. "I would go and give him some support, but it's only two more days until Uncle Keith gets back. And besides, it's pretty funny watching him try and play with the girls."

"Yeah," Nathan grinned. "Good thing we don't have a sister, or Dad would be in major trouble."

Dan apparently agreed with the assessment made by his sons, as after breakfast he had retreated into his study. He and Karen had taken care of the girls while Keith went on business trips before, but it had been about a year since the last time, and the girls' personalities had developed a great deal more since then. Haley missed Keith the most, sensitive as she was, and Dan found that it helped to take her mind off of things by reading to her. Although Haley had excellent taste in literature for someone her age, her preferences tended to be more feminine than Dan's, so Dan had found himself reading _Little Women _and _Anne of Green Gables _cover to cover over the past few days.

As for Peyton, Dan had never realized what a troublemaker the little girl was. She wasn't bad, just accident prone and mischievous. The first night, she had decided to try skateboarding down the stairs, an incident which resulted in several Band-Aids and kisses from Aunt Karen, plus a stern lecture and a half a dozen swats from Uncle Dan. Yesterday afternoon, she had been painting her toenails and had spilled nail polish all over the carpet. Dan had initially been furious, but when he saw how mortified and remorseful Peyton was, he let her off with a gentle scolding. Still, Dan found himself tensing up every half hour or so, knowing that if it had been too quiet for a while, another Peyton disaster was surely on its way.

And Brooke…Dan had actually checked the coffee pot for the past two mornings to make sure that none of the caffeinated drink was missing. He was certain there could be no other explanation for Brooke's constant state of bouncy hyper-activeness. From the moment she had walked in the door three nights ago, her mouth had not stopped moving for more than five minutes at a time. Usually, it was moving to tease Lucas and Nathan, argue with Peyton, or to beg Dan to play with her. So far that week, Dan had been forced to watch a _Boy Meets World _marathon and be a judge for a fashion show in which the models were Barbie dolls. He had tried to weasel his way out of it both times, but Brooke just batted her lashes over those big hazel eyes and he caved instantly.

Dan had just opened his ledger to go over some figures for the next quarter, when a knock sounded at his study door. Before he could say anything, the door flung open and Brooke skipped in.

"Hi, Uncle Dan!" she chirped, prancing over and jumping into his lap.

"Oof!" Dan grunted as she narrowly missed a sensitive spot. "Brooke, don't you know it's polite to wait until someone invites you in?"

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Brooke asked, her eyes growing round and doe-like.

"That's not…of course I'm happy to see you, Brooke, but…"

"Good!" she smiled. "Because I needed to talk to you about something."

"And what would that be?" Dan asked, feeling slightly wary but trying not to show it.

Brooke sighed dramatically. "I miss Daddy," she pouted.

"I'm sure you do, sweetheart, but he'll be home in a couple of days," Dan consoled as he put his arm around her.

"I know," Brooke said sadly. "Usually, Haley's the one that misses him the most, but she's had you to read to her. It reminds her of how Daddy reads to us, so she's not so sad anymore."

"Well, is there anything your Dad does with you that maybe you and I could do together?" Dan asked, rubbing her back gently.

"Well…." Brooke said slowly. "There is one thing Daddy and I sometimes do together."

"What's that?" Dan pressed.

"Well…Daddy sometimes lets me give him a makeover," Brooke said, glancing up slyly.

Dan glowered down at her as he realized she had been playing him. "Brooke Elyse…" he began.

"Oh please, Uncle Dan!" Brooke begged. "I would be really careful! I wouldn't use anything permanent or ugly…you might even look better once I'm done!"

Dan pursed his lips and gave his niece a hard look. But she matched his gaze with those wide hazel eyes, and finally, Dan sighed resignedly. "If you put anything on my face or in my hair that doesn't come off, I will be giving your rear end a makeover," he said sternly. "Do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" Brooke said gleefully, throwing her arms around his neck. She jumped off of his lap and grabbed his hand, tugging him along behind her as they exited the room. "Peyton!" she yelled. "He said yes! Bring the make-up and nail polish!"

"Nail polish?" Dan protested. But Brooke paid him no heed as she marched him into the living room to await Peyton and the beauty supplies.

Meanwhile, Karen and Haley were enjoying a much more peaceful morning upstairs in Karen's room. Earlier, Karen had wandered upstairs to put away some laundry, and had found Haley rifling through the trunk at the foot of her bed.

"What are you doing, sweetie?" Karen asked, setting the laundry basket down on the floor.

Haley jumped about a foot in the air and looked at Karen guiltily. "I'm sorry," she squeaked. "I was just…I'll leave," she stuttered, jumping up and starting to head for the door.

"Haley Joy, come back here," Karen said, somewhat amused. "You haven't done anything wrong. I just wondered what you were looking at, is all."

Haley turned back around and walked over to the trunk, her eyes fixated on the floor. "I just…I was looking for pictures of Mommy," she said softly. "It sometimes makes Daddy sad when I look at the ones we have, so I thought since he wasn't here…"

Karen gently pressed a finger to her youngest niece's lips. "Say no more," she said understandingly. "Why don't you go have a seat over on the bed, and I'll come join you?"

Haley obediently climbed up onto the bed and leaned against the mounds of pillows, while Karen dug through the trunk and unearthed two leather photo albums.

"I think these will probably help us out," she said with a smile, scooting up on the bed to sit by Haley and opening the first album. "I've been working on these since Lucas was born, you know. Look, that's me when I was seven months pregnant with him."

"Wow, you were big!" Haley said in awe. She immediately blushed and began to stammer out an apology, but Karen silenced her with a laugh.

"Yes, I was big," she agreed with a smile. "And believe me, I felt big. When Uncle Dan had to lift me into the car to go to the hospital, I felt like a beached whale. But it was all worth it when they put Lucas in my arms," she added, smiling fondly at a picture of her cradling her newborn child.

"Yuck," Haley said, wrinkling her nose. "He looks all…scrunchy. Did I look like that when I was born?"

"I don't know, Honey. I didn't meet you until you were two years old. But if you want to see how you looked that day, I can definitely show you," Karen said, flipping back a few pages and pointing to a shot of a beaming Jules and Keith. They were standing outside of their first house, and curled up in Jules's arms was a delicate toddler with huge brown eyes.

"I know that picture!" Haley said excitedly. "That's the day Mommy and Daddy picked me up from the orphanage!"

"That's right!" Karen said, giving her a quick squeeze. "While your Mommy and Daddy were gone, Uncle Dan and I snuck into the house and got it all decorated for your homecoming. When they pulled up, Uncle Dan videotaped them carrying you up the driveway, and I snapped the pictures of you in front of the house."

"Mommy looks so pretty," Haley said softly, brushing her fingertips over the photo of her mother's face.

"That's because she had just become a mommy," Karen confided. "Women are never happier or more beautiful than when they have a child," she said, a soft smile playing around her lips.

"Do you have one of when Brooke and Peyton came home?" Haley asked, already flipping to the next page. "I want to see if Mommy still looks so pretty in those pictures."

"I do, right….here," Karen said, turning a few more pages. "Well, if you ask me, your mother looks just as happy as she did when she got you, but you were a decidedly more cheerful little girl than Peyton," Karen said drily.

Haley giggled at the site of her older sister at the age of four, scowling through a tangle of blonde curls. "She looks like she's going to punch Daddy in the nose."

"If I recall correctly, she _did _punch your Daddy in the nose," Karen remembered. "And when he started to scold her, Brooke came up and kicked him in the shins."

"Oh, right," Haley said. "I was out shopping with Mommy when that happened, but Brooke and Peyton told me about it a while ago. That was the first time Daddy ever spanked them. I guess it worked, because when Mommy and I got back from the store, Peyton was sitting in Daddy's lap and she wasn't scowling anymore."

"Well, that's because she figured out that your Daddy loved her," Karen explained. "You know, we don't punish you guys because we like doing it. We punish you because we love you and we have to help you be the best people you can be."

"I know," Haley said, snuggling into Karen's side. "Sometimes I used to wonder whether Daddy loved me as much as Peyton and Brooke, because I don't get in trouble as much as them. I asked Brooke about it, and she said it was hard for Daddy to punish me because I'm the littlest and the most like Mommy. Then I asked Peyton about it, and she said she would be more than happy to spank me if I didn't feel loved enough. I decided not to take her up on that," Haley said grimly.

Karen laughed, the image of Peyton saying that to her little sister clear in her mind. Her laugh turned to coughing before long, and suddenly, Karen bolted upright. With one hand pressed to her stomach and the other pressed over her mouth, she ran into the bathroom and began vomiting into the toilet.

"Aunt Karen?" Haley cried, looking panicked as her Aunt emptied the entire contents of her stomach. "I'm getting Uncle Dan!" She ran out of the room, and Karen was too busy throwing up to stop her.

Lucas and Nathan had finally grown bored with playing 11, so they headed back into the house. They wandered toward the living room when they heard chatter floating through the doorway, but what they saw inside made them stop dead in their tracks.

"Dad?" Both boys said incredulously.

Dan's head snapped up, causing Brooke to stomp her foot in frustration as she smeared his eyeliner. It was hardly noticeable, however, considering that Dan's eyelids were covered with glittery blue eye shadow, his cheeks were dusted with bright pink rouge, and his lips were colored a vibrant magenta. Brooke had been practicing her eyeliner application skills, while Peyton was painting his fingernails with a cherry red polish.

Lucas and Nathan stared dumbfounded at their father, who returned their gaze with a ferocious glare. "You say one word about this and you will wish I grounded you for a month," he growled.

Both boys started to back out of the room, knowing that at any second one of them would burst out laughing and most likely earn himself and his brother an impromptu spanking. They didn't get far, however, when Haley ran into them from behind.

"Uncle Dan!" she cried breathlessly, completely ignoring the fact that Dan was starting to resemble a rather muscular drag queen. "Aunt Karen's sick! She won't stop throwing up!"

Dan jumped up, partly in relief that he had an escape from the beauty salon from hell, but mostly because he was concerned for his wife. He ran out of the room and took the stairs two at a time, all five of the kids trailing close behind him.

"Karen?" Dan called, coming into the bedroom. "Honey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Dan," Karen called weakly from the bathroom floor. "I just need a minute."

Dan rushed to his wife's side and knelt down next to her. "What's going on? Do you have a fever?" he asked, feeling her forehead with the back of his hand.

"No, Dan," Karen said, pushing his hand away in irritation and leaning back against the bathroom sink with a sigh. "I'll be fine, just give me a minute."

"I think we should call the doctor," Dan said, barely hearing Karen's voice. "Maybe taking care of five kids is putting too much strain on you. And if it is something serious, we can't risk the kids catching it."

Karen rolled her eyes. "Trust me, Dan, the kids are not going to catch this."

"How do you know unless you go to the doctor?" Dan demanded.

"I've been to the doctor!" Karen said exasperatedly. "And trust me, it is not the flu, or a bug, or anything else the kids can catch."

"Well, what is it then?"

Karen looked up at the kids for a moment, and then looked at her husband and gave a small sigh. "It's morning sickness, you idiot," she said quietly.

Dan had been kneeling, but he slowly sank to a sitting position as he looked at Karen in confusion. "What?" he whispered.

Karen smiled gently, reaching out to take his hand. "This isn't how I wanted to tell you," she said softly. "But I'm sure."

Brooke squealed in delight, and Peyton's mouth dropped open in shock. "Oh my God, shut up!" Peyton exclaimed, her face widening into a grin.

"Shut up about what?" Nathan asked, looking only slightly less confused than his brother.

"Dude!" Peyton said, punching him on the arm. "They're totally having a baby!"

"What?" Haley cried in astonishment. "That's so exciting!" She threw her arms around Nathan, who looked completely flabbergasted, but returned Haley's hug nonetheless. Brooke went after Lucas, whose eyes were about to pop out of their sockets, and gave him a huge sloppy kiss on the cheek. The boys didn't really have time to process the information with the girls jumping around, but before long they got caught up in their enthusiasm and were jumping around with them.

Meanwhile, Dan hadn't said a word since he had realized what Karen was telling him. Karen gave him a worried look. They hadn't really talked about having more children, and she didn't know how he would feel about it. "Dan?" she asked nervously, trying to look into his eyes.

Dan looked down at her, his eyes full of unreadable emotions. He slowly placed his free hand on Karen's belly, and the hand holding hers he used to caress her face. A single tear trickled down his cheek before he quickly leaned in and kissed Karen as passionately as he had the day they had gotten married.

"A baby," he whispered, thirty seconds later when he finally convinced himself to pull away. "We're having a baby!" he crowed in delight, lifting Karen off the floor and scooping her up in his arms. "Kids, go get dressed in your nicest outfits!" he ordered, never taking his eyes off the woman he loved. "We're going out to celebrate!" The kids all cheered and darted from the room, leaving Dan to spin Karen around the bedroom as though they were newlyweds and to give her a dozen more tender kisses.

"Sweetheart," Karen laughed, placing her finger on Dan's lips to stop the onslaught of smooches. "I love you, and I can't wait to celebrate with you and make plans and have another beautiful child with you. But Honey, you've got to wash that crap off your face, or I may throw up again just looking at it."

Dan gave her a mock glare and placed her gently on her feet. "Fine, I'll wash it off. But just so you know, Brooke says this eye shadow enhances my natural eye color," he said primly. Karen bopped him on the shoulder, and he laughed before placing his hands on her stomach and leaning in close.

"I'll be right back," he whispered. "You take care of your mother. She's the best thing you've got."

"No I'm not," Karen whispered inaudibly, as she watched Dan walk into the bathroom with a deliriously happy grin on his face.

**I know it wasn't a huge surprise, considering I throw foreshadowing around like confetti, but still-KAREN'S HAVING A BABY! Sooooo much fun to write! By the way, shout out to AffinityFrequency for giving me the makeover idea…GENIUS! Alright guys, I've got a proposition for you. A lot of you have been begging me to write the boys in high school. I don't want to do this for a couple of reasons. One, it's going to be very difficult to write any kind of high school romance since the main five are all related to each other in this fic. I know they aren't related by blood, but it just seems incestuous to me. Two, I'd like for the story to progress naturally-I'd hate to miss all the years in between 10 and 16. This brings me to my proposition. If enough of you ask for it, I will write some one-shots separate from this story, but set in the same verse, when the boys (and girls) are older. That way, I get to keep my story the way I want it, but I'll satisfy everyone's desires. I have some ideas already, now I just need your support, so please take some time to review! Coming up next: Are we all happy about the baby? Doesn't seem like it…**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi everyone! Well, the bad news is that, since I started law school, I have been plagued by a swamp fire, an earthquake, and Hurricane Irene within about ten days! If someone can guess where I go to law school based on those clues, PM me and I'll let you pick something that you want to happen in one of my fics (something small, like Nathan breaking a vase, not something like Karen actually being pregnant with quintuplets). The good news is that my parents made me evacuate the hurricane, so I have power and plenty of free time to write! Classes are tentatively resuming on Monday, so at best I'll get one more chapter written for each fic, but I'm going to try! Hope everyone in Irene's path stays safe, and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

It had been a few weeks since Karen had shared her joyous news, and since that time she and Dan both had been consumed with thoughts of the baby. Karen kept paying extra attention to the customers at the café who brought their babies in, and Dan frequently found himself going online to check the prices of baby furniture when he ought to have been working. Every moment they were together, they were discussing names, prenatal care, diaper brands…everything under the sun. This Saturday morning, their conversation had turned to the logistics of where the baby would sleep.

"I want the baby in our room for at least the first year," Karen insisted.

"Honey, are you sure that's necessary?" Dan asked, thinking about how difficult it would be on their love life if they had an infant sharing their room. "We kept Lucas in his nursery after he was a month old, and he was fine."

"I know he was fine, but I wasn't," Karen reminded him. "I got up at least twice every night to go in there and make sure he was breathing. And I know you went to check plenty of times too, so don't act like you won't worry this time. The baby stays with us."

"Alright," Dan sighed, thinking that they might have to sneak down to the living room after the kids were asleep for some private time. "What about after that? We don't really have any available rooms in the house."

"I know," Karen said, sounding slightly frustrated as she placed her herbal tea down on the kitchen island. "I suppose we could turn your study into a bedroom."

"I don't know about that," Dan said warily. "Don't forget, we converted that room into a study so I could do more work from home. I don't want to have to spend more time at the office if we've got three kids to raise."

"Fair enough," Karen said, propping her chin on her fist as she thought. "I guess our only other option is to put the boys together," she said reluctantly. "I really hate to do that, though. It doesn't seem fair to uproot them."

"I agree that it isn't exactly fair," Dan replied. "Let's not worry about that now. We can look into some other options down the line. Maybe we can see about adding on to the house after the baby is born. It may be that our best option is for the boys to share a room, but let's cross that bridge when we get to it."

Karen nodded her agreement, and began to talk about her upcoming doctor's appointment. She and Dan were both so engrossed with the details of the appointment that neither of them noticed a small figure shuffle dejectedly away from the kitchen doorway.

Nathan was startled awake by a loud knock at his door. "Come in," he yawned, sitting up in bed and rubbing his bleary eyes. "I'll be ready to come down in a minute," he said sleepily when Lucas entered his room.

"Don't bother," Lucas said glumly, plopping himself onto the bed next to his brother. "Mom and Dad won't notice."

"What are you talking about?" Nathan asked, not quite processing at this early hour what was bothering his brother.

"They're downstairs talking about the stupid baby," Lucas grumbled folding his arms across his chest. "They're thinking about making you and I share a room after the baby is born."

"Really? That would suck," Nathan frowned. "I mean, it's cool hanging out with you, but I need my space."

"Me too," Lucas muttered, glowering towards the doorway.

"So…you're upset about the baby because you might lose your room?" Nathan asked slowly. "I mean, I thought you'd be happy about it, and…"

"Why would I be happy about this dumb baby?" Lucas exploded, turning a furious glare on his little brother. "It's all Mom and Dad ever talk about anymore! If they're this obsessed with the baby now, it's just going to get worse when it's born! Do you realize how much this sucks? I mean seriously, I've already had to share them with one new brother and…"Lucas abruptly stopped his rant as a hurt look came over Nathan's face. "Nate, I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "I'm glad you came to live with us, and I don't think you take up to much of Mom and Dad's attention. It's just…it's just been a lot to deal with these past months."

"Well, how do you think I feel?" Nathan asked sharply. "I lost my mom for real this year, remember? I'd give anything to have her here, even if she wasn't paying much attention to me. And what do you think is going to happen to me when the baby gets here? It's going to be another kid that's related to both Dad _and _Mom. It'll probably look just like you. I'll be the outsider," he added quietly, staring down at his comforter.

Lucas didn't know what to say, so he gave his brother a sympathetic glance and awkwardly patted his arm. "We just have to stick together," he decided. "If Mom and Dad are going to forget us because of this baby, we have to be there for each other even more. Solidarity, dude."

"What's solidarity mean?" Nathan asked confusedly.

"I dunno," Lucas shrugged. "I heard some guy saying it on an episode of _Cops_."

"Whatever," Nathan acquiesced, offering his brother a fist bump. "Solidarity."

"Boys!" Karen's voice echoed up the stairs. "Time to come eat!"

"Great," Lucas muttered, jumping off the bed. "We're probably going to have to talk about diapers while we eat our cereal."

Dan had gone out to do some yard work by the time the boys made it downstairs, so fortunately there was no discussion about diapers. Karen asked both Nathan and Lucas questions about school, but neither boy answered her with more than one syllable. She just chalked it up to Saturday morning laziness, however, and thought nothing of it when the boys asked if she could take them to the garage so they could hang out with Keith.

Keith was more than happy to take the boys. He noticed that Nathan and Lucas both were quieter than usual, but since they weren't causing any trouble, he didn't think much of it. He dropped the boys off at home after taking them to grab some lunch. Keith was surprised that they didn't even go in the house to say hello to their parents before picking up a stray basketball and beginning a game of Horse. He wanted to go inside and ask Karen and Dan about how their sons were doing, but he was running late to pick up the girls from a birthday party, so he gave himself a mental reminder to mention it to his brother the next time he saw him.

Nathan and Lucas played basketball all the way up until dinnertime, their mother only coming outside for a brief moment to check on them. They were cold and exhausted from playing in the middle of winter, but they didn't feel like going inside and possibly having to witness their parents flipping through baby catalogues. Karen eventually realized how late it was and hurriedly whipped up some leftovers to feed her family. Dan called the boys in from the driveway, not noticing how flushed their cheeks were as he ordered them to set the table and get washed up.

Dinner was a fairly quiet affair. Most of the conversation consisted of Dan asking Karen how she was feeling, interspersed with short reminders to the boys to complete their homework and their chores. Nathan and Lucas mumbled "yes, sir," to all of these reminders, and spent most of their meal moodily chewing the day old pot roast that Karen had served. When everyone's plates had been nearly cleaned, Karen winced and pushed her chair back from the table.

"Guys, I'm feeling a little nauseous," she said uncomfortably. "I think I'm going to go lie down for a while. Lucas, can you and Nathan wash the dishes and get the kitchen cleaned up?"

Ordinarily, both of the boys would have been more than willing to help their mom, even if she had been feeling well. But the fact that the longest sentence Karen had spoken to them all day involved them doing manual labor did not sit well with either child.

"That's not one of our chores," Lucas whined, shoving the last bits of gravy around his plate. "It's not fair."

"I wanted to go back outside for a while," Nathan scowled, crossing his arms sullenly over his chest.

A look of distress came over Karen's face, but before she could respond, Dan set his water glass on the table with a rather loud thud.

"I don't believe that was a request," he said sharply, glaring at both of the boys. "Just because washing dishes isn't one of your regular chores does not mean you can't take care of it for your mother. And besides, it's too dark and cold to go outside, so I don't know why you're complaining about that anyway."

Dan removed his napkin from his lap and placed it on the table, frowning at the boys before standing up and going over to his wife. "You go on upstairs and rest, sweetheart," he said, his voice becoming infinitely tenderer as he spoke to her. "I'll make sure everything is taken care of down here."

"Thank you," Karen said gratefully, giving him a gentle kiss before leaving the room. As soon as she was out of earshot, Dan turned back around and stared the boys down menacingly.

"I want this kitchen cleaned up in the next thirty minutes," he ordered. "As soon as you're done, I want both of you in my study. I think we need to have a little chat. If you're not there in the next half hour, we are going to have a serious problem. Now get to it!"

With that, Dan whirled around on his heel and stalked out of the room, leaving two frightened little boys in his wake. "Guess they're not going to ignore us completely," Lucas said glumly. "Dad still has time to yell at us."

"Do you think it's gonna be like this forever?" Nathan whispered, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. "They'll be obsessed with the baby and only talk to us when they want to boss us around?"

"I don't know," Lucas admitted, biting his lip to stop his own tears. "Come on, we better get cleaned up before Dad gets any madder."

Exactly twenty eight minutes later, Lucas knocked on Dan's study door tentatively while Nathan stood anxiously next to him.

"Come in," Dan said, turning away from his computer as his sons entered the room. "Sit," he ordered, indicating the small couch next to his bookcase. The boys hurried to obey him, and he stood up and walked over to stand in front of them. "I'm going to make this real simple, boys," he said sternly. "I don't ever want to hear you backtalk your mother like that again. She is under a lot of stress right now with the baby, and she doesn't need any attitude from the two of you. I expect you to be on your best behavior during her pregnancy, and you will do what she tells you, when she tells you to do it, without complaint. If I see or hear that you've done anything else, I will wear your butts out. Understand?"

"Yes," both boys said meekly.

"That's 'yes, sir'," Dan scolded. "And just to make sure you understand, I'm going to give you a little taste of what you can expect if your behavior doesn't improve. Lucas, come here," he said firmly, pulling his desk chair out to the center of the room. Lucas reluctantly stood up and approached his father. Dan pulled him over his knee and gave him ten sharp swats over his jeans.

"Nathan," Dan said simply, helping Lucas up and directing him back towards the couch. Nathan slowly walked toward Dan and bent over his lap for his own ten spanks. He bit his lip as Dan's hand smacked his bottom, determined not to cry out. When Dan had finished the spanking and had returned Nathan to the couch, he stood up again. He placed his desk chair back behind the desk, then came back to look at his boys.

"I'm serious, guys," he said, his voice a bit milder, but still holding a hint of sternness. "You are not going to pull an attitude with either of us, especially your mom. She doesn't need to worry about anything except taking care of this baby right now. Got it?"

Lucas and Nathan both nodded, neither child trusting themselves to speak. Dan's gaze softened a bit and he reached his hands out to help both of them off the couch.

"Good," he said gently, drawing both of them to his side for a quick embrace. "Now you both go to your rooms for the rest of the night. Maybe some sleep will help your attitudes simmer down." He released the boys and gave Nathan a light swat as they exited the room.

Neither boy spoke to each other until they reached the top of the landing. "Nate?" Lucas ventured softly. "Will you come and stay in my room tonight?"

"Don't you think it'll make Dad mad?" Nathan asked, furiously scrubbing a hand over his eyes so the tears wouldn't fall.

"I don't care," Lucas replied with more defiance than he felt. "He didn't even let us talk before he spanked us, and he didn't let us sit on his lap like usual, either. Who cares what he wants?"

"I guess you're right," Nathan said sadly, heading to his own room to put on his pajamas before coming into Lucas's room. "Luke?" he asked as he climbed on the bed. "Solidarity, right?"

"Yeah," Lucas said softly, giving his brother a weak fist bump. "Solidarity."

An hour later, Karen woke up from her nap feeling a lot better. She exited her room and started down the hallway, only to run into Dan.

"Hey," she said softly, coming up and putting her arms around his waist. "Everything go okay with the boys?"

"Well, if lecturing them and spanking them is ever okay, then yeah," he said tiredly, returning her embrace.

Karen sighed into his chest. "I hope you weren't too hard on them."

"Nah, I don't think so," Dan said lightly, kissing her on top of the head. "I just gave them enough to make sure they didn't give you any more grief. I don't want anything stressing you or Daniel Jr. out."

"Daniel Jr.?" Karen said incredulously. "I don't believe I approved that name. Besides, what makes you so sure it will be a boy?"

"Wishful thinking, I guess," Dan said with a sigh. "Come on, you saw me with the girls the other week. Can you imagine me learning to braid hair and play with dolls?"

"Actually, I can," Karen said with a sly smile. "And I find the image rather sexy."

Dan groaned, and Karen laughed. "It's a little early to be worrying about that, honey," she assured him. "Come on, let's check on the boys."

They opened Lucas's door first, and were surprised to see both of their children curled into the same bed. "Poor little guys," Karen whispered. "You're sure you weren't too hard on them?"

"I'm sure," Dan said, not even considering that he might have been. "Keith and I used to do this plenty after we both got punished, even when we deserved it. Don't worry about it, sweetheart."

"Okay," Karen acquiesced, gazing fondly at her sons. "We do have two wonderful children, Dan."

"Almost three," he said softly, kissing her behind the ear. She began to giggle, and they scurried out of the room before the boys could wake up. Unfortunately, Nathan and Lucas both slept through their mother's warm praise.

**I know, I know…I make you wait all this time and then I end on a downer. But don't worry; you know I never leave things sad for long! Coming up next: Keith finally realizes that something is going on with the boys and takes his little brother to task over the whole situation. Look forward to some Peyton sarcasm, Brooke enthusiasm, brotherly Keith, and a lot of tenderness between Dan, Karen and the boys. I'm going to go watch a couple episodes of The West Wing with my mom, but I'll be back at my computer writing in the next couple of hours! Review please!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi everyone! Okay, I kind of lied…no Peyton or Brooke in this chapter. But there is brotherly Keith and beautiful family moments! Unfortunately, my classes resume on Wednesday, so this honeymoon Irene has provided me with is coming to an end. It's probably going to be back to weekly updates now, but I'll do my best! Enjoy!**

Usually, the atmosphere of a basketball game got Dan more aroused than the sight of his wife in black lingerie. Even though he had quit college ball to marry Karen and raise Lucas, he still held a deep passion for the game. He couldn't wait for the day when his boys played for the Tree Hill Ravens, and hopefully for Duke after that. But for now, he was content with watching his boys show off their skills in Junior League basketball. This particular Saturday game, however, he was a bit distracted, and not nearly as enthusiastic for his sons as he usually was.

"Maybe I should give Karen a call," Dan said worriedly as the buzzer sounded the end of the first quarter.

"Maybe you shouldn't," Keith said drily.

"I'm still not sure it was a good idea to leave her with all three of the girls," Dan argued. "You know I love your daughters, Keith, but they can be an even bigger handful than the boys sometimes. I don't want any stress put on Karen or the baby, and…"

"Dan, relax," Keith chided, taking a swig of soda. "Karen will be fine. I had a talk with the girls, and they know to behave themselves and not make Karen do any extra work. Now will you please stop worrying and just enjoy watching your sons play basketball? Actually, I take back the please. Either stop worrying and enjoy watching your sons play basketball or I'll take you outside and kick your ass."

"I'll do my best," Dan sighed. He perked up a few minutes later when Nathan stole the ball away from the star player of the opposing team and maneuvered it down the court for a perfect lay-up. "Atta boy, Nate!" he cheered, clapping louder than any other parent in the gym.

Nathan almost got run over as he stopped and stared up into the stands in bewilderment. Dan had come to no less than three of their games since finding out about Karen's pregnancy, but this was the first sign of major interest he had shown during those three games. Most of his time was spent talking with Karen and making sure that she was supplied with whatever food and drink she desired. Nathan felt himself flush with happiness at the sight of his Dad smiling directly at him.

"Dude, come on!" Lucas said, shoving Nathan as he ran by to get his attention. "Your guy is wide open!" He followed Nathan's gaze, and began to feel a hint of jealously as he realized what had his brother so distracted.

"Oh…sorry," Nathan said hastily, hustling down the court. Somehow, he made it to the boy he was supposed to be guarding and reached up to block his jump shot. The ball deflected easily off of his outstretched hand, directly into the grasp of Skills, who charged down the court with the ball in hand. Dan jumped to his feet and whooped loudly, beaming with pride at Nathan's effective technique. Dan's enthusiasm was not lost on Lucas, and the blond haired boy began to glower with rage. Who did Nathan think he was, stealing all of the attention from Dad? It was one thing when Dan was ignoring both of them, but this…Lucas wasn't having it.

"Skills, I'm open!" Nathan called, following his teammate down the court. Lucas snapped his head up and ran towards his brother. When Skills passed the ball to Nathan, Lucas jumped in front of him and snatched it away. He arched the ball perfectly into the hoop, but didn't have time to enjoy the cheers before Nathan confronted him.

"Luke, what was that?" Nathan asked angrily. "That was my shot!"

"That's not what the scoreboard says," Lucas challenged. "Guess you'll have to be a little faster next time."

"Hey, what's your problem?" Nathan retorted, shoving his brother's shoulder.

"You're the one with the problem!" Lucas shouted, pushing Nathan full force across the chest with both hands. Nathan stumbled backwards, but managed not to fall. His eyes turned dark with fury, and he lunged at Lucas, knocking him to the hard gym floor.

Dan and Keith both jumped to their feet and began to run down the bleachers as the referee blew his whistle and ran over to break up the two brawling children. "Hey, knock it off!" the ref shouted, but his orders fell on deaf ears. The two boys continued to wrestle each other, and it wasn't until Dan and Keith got there that the fight was put to a stop.

"ENOUGH!" Dan bellowed, wrapping his arms around Nathan's waist and yanking him off of Lucas. Lucas tried to get up to continue pummeling his brother, but he was stopped by Keith, who held the flailing boy firmly by both arms.

"They're outta here," the ref said sharply to Dan. "I'm telling their coach that they aren't allowed to play for the next two games. You get them home and make sure this doesn't happen again."

"It won't," Dan said tightly as he glared down at both of the boys. "Let's go," he said shortly to Keith. Keith nodded, and the elder set of Scott brothers hauled the younger set out of the gymnasium as fast as they could.

"I have never been so embarrassed in my life!" Dan shouted, once the gym doors were shut behind them and they were headed out to the parking lot. "What in the hell were you thinking, fighting during a game? Fighting at all for that matter?"

"It was _his _fault!" Nathan yelled, trying to get away from Dan and jump on Lucas again.

"_You're _the one who pushed me down, jerk!" Lucas retorted, trying equally as hard to free himself from Keith.

"Yeah, because _you_…"

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Dan roared, giving Nathan a slight shake as he opened the back door of the car. "I don't want to hear it! You get your asses in this car and sit down while you still can, because you are in for a world of hurt when we get home!" He delivered a hard smack to Nathan's rear end as he lifted him into the backseat, and he repeated the process with Lucas before slamming the door shut.

"Danny," Keith said calmly, placing a hand on his brother's arm. "I think you better let me drive."

"Fine," Dan said flippantly, tossing the keys to Keith. "I can save my strength for dealing with them."

Keith's eyebrows furrowed slightly in concern as Dan yanked open the passenger door and sat down with a glower. He shook his head, hoping that the ride home would give his brother some time to calm down. He didn't know what had happened out there with his nephews, but he knew that Dan needed to take the time to find out before laying into them.

Unfortunately, the ride home did nothing to quell Dan's temper. Keith had barely stopped the car when Dan jumped out and hauled both of the boys out of the backseat by their arms. He stalked into the house, dragging the two now-frightened children alongside him. Keith hurriedly locked up the car and ran into the house after them.

"Dan, what's going on?" Karen asked worriedly, poking her head out from the living room. "I wasn't expecting you guys for another couple of hours."

"Don't worry about it, Honey," Dan said crisply. "The boys and I need to have a discussion right now."

"No, you don't," Keith said firmly, closing the front door behind him. "Your temper is way out of control, Danny. You're not dealing with them until you calm down."

"Don't tell me how to raise my children, Keith!" Dan growled ferociously.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Karen asked in frustration.

"Boys, go to your rooms," Keith ordered, taking a meaningful step towards Dan. "Your Dad and I need to have a chat."

Dan glared at his brother, but Keith stared him down until he let go of the boys' arms with a frustrated sigh.

"Get upstairs," he snapped. The boys needed no urging as they flew out of the room. Once they were gone, Dan turned back towards his brother. "And what exactly do we need to have a chat about?" he asked flippantly.

"Don't push me, Danny," Keith warned, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You're gonna thank me for that one day. I don't know what the boys were fighting about, but the way you were yelling at them, you were reminding me suspiciously of Dad."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You were gonna go up there and beat the crap out of them without even taking the time to talk to them. I recognize that look in your eyes. You're better than that, Danny, and I'm not gonna let you stoop to that level."

"Okay, seriously!" Karen interjected, stepping between the two men. "Someone tell me what happened. _Now_!"

"The boys got in a fight at the basketball game," Keith said, not taking his eyes off of his brother lest he decide to head upstairs. "They've been suspended for the next two games."

"They were fighting?" Karen asked in astonishment. "Why?"

"I'm not sure. But I think we should find that out before anyone gets punished," Keith replied.

"I agree," Karen said, placing a gentle but restraining hand on Dan's arm. "Keith, would you mind going upstairs to talk to the boys? Maybe they'll tell you what happened."

"I am perfectly capable of going to talk to my sons!" Dan said indignantly.

Karen shook her head. "I'm with Keith on this one, Dan. You're still looking incredibly angry. Come sit in the living room with me for a little bit. The girls are playing in the backyard, so we can have some privacy. Can you do that for me?"

As it always did, Karen's sweet yet authoritative tone worked wonders on Dan, and he nodded brusquely before stomping into the living room.

"Thanks, Keith," Karen said worriedly. "I'll try and calm him down. Just please find out what's wrong with my boys."

"I'll do my best," Keith promised her, before heading up the stairs. He had planned to get Nathan and take him into Lucas's room so they could all talk, but when he reached the upstairs landing he realized that wouldn't be necessary. Lucas was slumped against the wall outside of his bedroom, crying his heart out, while Nathan anxiously tried to comfort him.

"Hey now," Keith said concernedly, sitting on the floor next to the boys and pulling Lucas into his lap. "Come on, it's gonna be alright. Settle down, Luke."

Lucas hiccupped his sobs back as best he could, grateful that it was his uncle who had come upstairs and not his dad. Keith pulled a bandana out of his back pocket and wiped the tears off Lucas's face, but it didn't do much good. Lucas became a bit quieter, but tears still poured from his eyes. "Alright, it looks like you guys aren't pissed at each other anymore. So you wanna tell me what happened out there today?" Keith asked gently.

"It's my fault," Nathan said, his eyes wide with worry for his older brother. "I was the one that pushed him."

"Yeah, I saw that," Keith said, placing his hand on Nathan's shoulder and drawing him close. "And why did you push him?"

"I was mad at him," Nathan explained. "He stole my shot away."

"I saw that, too," Keith said, directing his attention towards Lucas. "Luke, can you tell me why you took the ball from Nathan?"

Lucas's face crumpled once more as he looked guiltily at his brother and uncle. "Because Dad was proud of him, and he's never proud of us anymore!" he cried.

Keith was confused by Lucas's seemingly nonsensical explanation, but Nathan realized instantly what his brother was talking about. "Luke, I'm sorry!" Nathan pleaded, getting up on his knees so he could look his brother in the eye. "I was just so excited that Dad was finally paying attention to me…I didn't realize how it would make you feel! I should have passed you the ball. I…"

"Wait a minute, hold up," Keith said, raising his hand to stop Nathan's babble. "Go back a minute. What do you mean; Dan was finally paying attention to you?"

"Dad doesn't notice us anymore," Nathan said, almost matter-of-factly despite the distress in his voice. "Neither does Mom, really. Not since they heard about the baby. They don't care about us anymore."

"Guys, I'm sure that's not true…" Keith began.

"It IS true!" Lucas shouted, jumping off Keith's lap and standing up. "They don't give a crap about us! All they do is tell us to do our chores, do our homework, and talk about the stupid baby! Dad hasn't cheered once at our past few basketball games, and the only time he's talked to us was to yell at us and punish us!"

"He's right," Nathan said more quietly, looking at his uncle with wounded eyes. "That's why we asked if you could come to the game today. We just wanted someone to pay attention to us play. But then Dad noticed me all of a sudden and…"his voice trailed off as he looked back up at Lucas sorrowfully.

"It's not your fault, Nate," Lucas mumbled. Angry as he was at the situation, he did feel bad for provoking his brother. "I shouldn't have taken the ball."

"If what you're telling me is true, it's not either of you boys' faults," Keith said decidedly, standing up himself. "You guys both go wait in your parents' room together, okay? I'm going to go have a talk with your mom and dad. Trust me, they won't be ignoring you anymore." He didn't even wait to see if the boys followed his instructions before turning on his heel and going back downstairs. Keith had suspected that something was bothering his nephews for a while now, and hearing their tearful admissions assured him that he had been right.

Dan and Karen both sat up when Keith entered the living room. "Well?" Dan asked sharply, his temper obviously still going strong.

Keith didn't respond at first, just sat down in an easy chair and gave his brother a level stare. After a minute, he finally spoke. "Danny, how many points did Nathan score in his last basketball game?" he asked conversationally.

Dan raised his eyebrow quizzically. "I…have no idea," he responded.

"Hm…interesting," Keith said nonchalantly. "Considering during Lucas's last birthday party, you were able to recite his entire stats profile for the season verbatim."

Dan still looked confused, so Keith turned his attention on Karen. "Karen, how did Lucas do on his geography test last week?"

Karen racked her brain, but couldn't remember Lucas even mentioning a geography test. "I didn't even know they had a geography test last week," she admitted.

"They didn't," Keith said shortly. "All the tests this week were cancelled because they were having a grade wide spelling bee. Lucas came in third, by the way. Now explain to me how a mother who is infamous for checking over her children's homework and knowing exactly what they're studying in each class missed a major detail like that?"

Karen stole a glance over at Dan, her mouth slightly agape in shock. "I…I don't know," she stuttered.

"Well, I do," Keith said firmly, folding his arms across his chest. "Ever since you found out that you were having a child, you've forgotten that you have two other children. Two other children who still need your love and attention."

"We haven't forgotten that!" Dan replied testily. "We've just been busy."

"So busy that today was the first time you had cheered for one of your sons at a basketball game since finding out about the baby?" Keith challenged. "Because that's what started that fight. Lucas heard you cheer for Nathan, and he got jealous. He was so desperate for your attention that he stole the ball and caused Nathan to push him. You have no one to blame for their behavior but yourselves."

"I don't believe this! You're telling me it's _my _fault those two turned the basketball court into a wrestling ring?" Dan asked incredulously.

Keith started to reply, but Karen beat him to it. "Dan, he's right," she said softly.

"What?" Dan asked disbelievingly, turning towards his wife.

Karen looked up at her husband, who was startled to see that her gentle eyes were filled with tears. "Dan…when I got pregnant with Lucas, it was a total shock," she said, taking his hand in hers. "We were too young, and we were both just plain scared. We spent most of the time that we were together during my pregnancy fighting, remember?"

"Of course I remember," Dan said bitterly, feeling remorse as he thought back on those times.

"And once you had left for school, I was feeling angry and alone. But it's different this time. This pregnancy…we're ready for it, we're together, and we're happy. In a way, it's like we're having our first born child all over again, only this time we get to do it right. Except…" she trailed off, hoping that Dan was starting to understand what she was saying.

Dan drew a deep breath as everything she said came clicking into place. "Except it's not our first born," he realized quietly.

"No, it's not," Karen said sympathetically. "And as much as we want to fix our past mistakes, we can't let our every waking moment be spent thinking about this baby. We have two other babies to think about."

"We really screwed up, didn't we?" Dan said, feeling a horrendous wave of guilt wash over him as he thought back on the past few weeks. It occurred to him that, out of all the time he had spent talking with his sons after hearing about the baby, most of that time had been spent scolding them for one thing or another. He rested his elbows on his knees and buried his head in his hands.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up, Danny," Keith said kindly, getting up and placing a strong hand on his brother's back. "There's no rulebook for this parenting thing…we all screw up from time to time. You're just gonna have to put a little extra work into fixing this."

Dan raised his head and got to his feet, looking Keith in the eye. "I…I owe you one for this, Keith," he said quietly. "If you hadn't stepped in, I might've…"

"No, you wouldn't have," Keith said confidently. "I didn't mean what I said, Danny, about you acting like Dad. You could never be like that. You just needed a sharp shock to come back down to earth."

"Yeah, I guess I did," Dan said ruefully. He opened his arms and engulfed Keith in a warm bear hug. "Thanks, Big Brother," he said softly.

"Any time, Little Brother," Keith said, giving Dan a warm pat on the back before letting go. "I'll get the girls and we'll show ourselves out," he said. "You guys just get up there and talk to your boys. They're waiting in your bedroom." With that, Keith stepped out of the room, leaving two guilty and bewildered looking parents in silence.

"God, Dan, what are we going to say to them?" Karen asked, breaking the quiet with a quavering voice.

"We just…we have to tell them we love them," Dan sighed, not having any more answers than his wife did. "That'll be a start, anyway. Come on," he said, offering her his hand. She stood, and they walked out of the room together.

Upstairs in the master bedroom, Lucas hadn't managed to calm himself down, and he had gotten Nathan worked up in the process. Both boys were crying out of sadness from the past couple of weeks and out of fear of what Dan would do to them. Dan and Karen heard their tears from the hallway, and they opened the door tentatively.

"Oh Babies…" Karen breathed as she saw her two distraught children huddled together. She hurried over to sit down on the bed, and Dan followed suit. He winced visibly when both of the boys shrank back as he approached them.

"Boys, you don't have to be scared," Dan said gently, trying to keep his voice low so he didn't frighten them further. "We're not here to punish you. We're here to tell you we're sorry."

Lucas and Nathan didn't say anything. They just stared at their parents with red eyes, their lips quivering full force. Karen felt her heart break slightly at the sight of them, and she scooted in a bit closer.

"Lucas. Nathan," she began, placing a hand lightly on each of the boys' knees. "We're so sorry we haven't been paying enough attention to you. We weren't thinking. We just…we're very excited about having another baby."

"We know," Lucas said, angrily scrubbing a fist across his eyes. "It's all you ever talk about."

"And that has been a mistake," Karen said seriously. "Boys, the main reason we're so excited about having another child is because our first two children turned out so wonderfully. We know this baby is going to have a great life with you two as big brothers."

She turned to Dan and nudged him to say something. Dan cleared his throat and lowered his gaze slightly. "Boys, there's something you need to understand," he said quietly. "I have a lot of guilt and regrets about my role as your father. Lucas, I still feel guilty for not being there for Mom when she was pregnant with you; and Nathan, I feel awful that I missed the first ten years of your life. I guess I've been seeing this baby as my chance to not screw up as badly as I have with you guys. Not that you guys are screwed up. You're both the best sons I could have hoped for," he said quickly, lifting his eyes once more to look at the boys. "I'm the one who's at fault here. I never meant to hurt either of you by neglecting you or punishing you unfairly. If I wasn't such a bad father, I would have noticed what our behavior was doing to you," he whispered, looking away once more as tears filled his normally stoic eyes. Karen didn't remove her hands from the boys' knees, but she gave her husband a sympathetic and loving look.

The room was quiet for a moment, save the occasional sniffling of all four members of the family. Finally, a small voice broke the silence.

"You're not a bad father," Nathan said timidly. "I don't care if you mess up sometimes. I just want you to love me."

"Me too," Lucas whispered, biting his lip as he watched his Dad silently cry.

"I do love you," Dan said emphatically, turning back towards them. "I love you more than life itself." With that admission, he cautiously held his arms out to his sons. Lucas and Nathan spared each other a fleeting glance before launching themselves into their relieved father's embrace. Dan caught both of his boys in his arms and held them tightly, his grateful tears soaking into their hair. Karen leaned over and joined the hug, wrapping her arms around both of her sons and her husband. The family held each other for what seemed like an hour; the two boys basking in the warmth of their parents' affection for the first time in weeks, and the two parents basking in the forgiveness their boys offered them.

Finally, Karen leaned back and the hug was disbanded. Lucas slid out of Dan's arms, but remained close by his father's side, while Nathan settled himself on Dan's left knee.

"We will never ignore you again," Karen promised, stroking Lucas's cheek fondly. "And if we start to, you tell us that we're doing it. And if we keep ignoring you, you tell Uncle Keith and he'll straighten us out."

"Okay," both boys answered, small smiles appearing on their faces. Nathan's smile quickly turned into a frown, however, as he looked up at Dan concernedly. "Um…are you gonna punish us for fighting?" he asked nervously.

"Dude, don't remind them!" Lucas hissed, elbowing Nathan in the side. Karen stifled a laugh, and looked up at Dan expectantly. Dan nodded to her understandingly and looked down at the boys.

"You deserve to be punished for that, you know," Dan said gently. "Even if your mom and I were screwing up, there is never an excuse for you two to hurt each other. We don't allow that."

"We know," Nathan said meekly, looking down at his lap.

"However," Dan continued, "Mom and I deserve to be punished, too. There is no excuse for the way we've been behaving, either. So just this once, we'll have a trade-off. We won't be punished, and neither will you."

"Oh no, they're being punished," Karen interjected sternly. Both Dan and the boys looked at her, one in bewilderment and two in apprehension. "Your punishment is to spend the entire day and evening with your parents and listen to us talk about how much we love you," she added, her voice becoming soft and tender.

Lucas squinted thoughtfully. "You sure you can't just spank us?" he asked with a straight face.

"Why, you little…" Karen said, grabbing him and playfully delivering a few swats.

"Ow! Mom, I was kidding!" Lucas shrieked as Karen finished up her mock spanking.

"You better have been," Karen said, giving him a big kiss as she lifted him to his feet. "Do you have anything to add?" she directed at Nathan, raising her eyebrow in a teasing way.

"No way," Nathan said immediately, leaning in to Dan for protection. Everyone laughed, and Karen stood up from the bed.

"Good…that means I don't have to spank anyone else before ordering pizza for lunch," she said with a twinkle in her eye. Dan and Nathan got up as well, and the family headed downstairs, all feeling happy and loved for the first time in weeks.

**Told you I'd fix it! Coming up next: It's Valentine's Day! Dan and Karen want to celebrate, but poor Keith has no one to celebrate with. So he's volunteered to have his nephews over that night for a sleepover with their cousins, and things will be chaotic to say the least. I'll put in some of that Peyton sarcasm and Brooke enthusiasm that I left out for this chapter. Review, please!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Oh my gosh, I can't believe how long it's been since I've updated! I feel like an epic failure. I will try harder, I promise…law school has just been kicking my ass. For those of you who read my other story, I apologize for repeating myself, but I need to give a disclaimer based on an anonymous review I got. The fact that I write spanking stories does not mean I in any way condone spanking in real life. The majority of people who write spanking fic actually don't. I'm in no way trying to encourage spanking as a practice, although I don't know why it should matter since anyone who is getting parenting tips from fanfiction is clearly beyond any aid whatsoever. If you guys want to discuss the actual psychological and social effects of spankings, there are thousands of forums in which you can do that. My review page is not one of them. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Okay, now that's over with, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I know it was a long time coming! Read and review, please!**

"Dude, did you get it?" Nathan whispered, ducking into Lucas's room.

"Yeah," Lucas whispered back, tilting his backpack to show his brother. "I waited until Mom got a phone call, then I grabbed it. This is going to be so awesome."

"Yeah," Nathan agreed, although he looked slightly more concerned than his sibling. "Do you think we'll get in trouble?"

"Nah," Lucas said confidently. "Uncle Keith and Dad used to do this kind of stuff to each other all the time. Keith will think it's funny."

"Cool," Nathan said with a grin, slapping Lucas a high five.

"Boys!" Karen's voice echoed from downstairs. "It's time to go!"

"Coming, Mom!" they both yelled in response. Grabbing their backpacks, they hurried down the stairs.

Ten minutes later, the boys were sitting in the backseat of the car, halfway listening to the lecture Dan was delivering.

"I want you guys on your best behavior," Dan instructed, glancing back into the rearview mirror at his sons. "Your Uncle Keith is doing a big favor for your Mom and I, and we expect you to behave for him. No backtalk, no disobedience, no nothing. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," the boys chorused, giving each other a sneaky sideways glance as they thought the same thing. Dad had just said no backtalk or disobedience. He didn't say anything about practical jokes.

A few minutes later, the family pulled into Keith's driveway. Keith's house was slightly more modest than his brother's, but Keith made it up for it with the huge trampoline and swing set in the backyard.

"Hey guys," Keith said, holding the door open. He whistled as he got a glimpse of his sister-in-law in her red silk dress. "Wow, Karen, you look incredible."

"Back off, pal, she's taken," Dan said jokingly, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist and kissing her gently on the neck.

Karen laughed and nudged Dan away. "Thanks Keith. And thanks for taking the boys for us. We've really been looking forward to this night out."

"Not a problem," Keith assured her, pulling both of his nephews in for a bear hug. "We're gonna do just fine. I've got plenty of chores to keep them busy until tomorrow morning."

"Uncle Keith!" Lucas complained, ducking out of his hug. "That's no fair!"

Keith laughed and ruffled Lucas's hair. "I'm joking, kiddo. Come on, say goodbye to your Mom and Dad so they can get out of here."

Lucas and Nathan allowed both of their parents to hug them, and they bit back their protests when Karen kissed each of them on the cheek. "We love you," she said with a smile. "Be good."

"I second that," Dan said. "Keith, you've got my cell number if there are any problems."

"There won't be," Keith promised. "Now get out of here." Dan offered Karen his arm, and the happy couple walked out of the door.

"Here, you guys give me your bags, and I'll go put them in the guest room," Keith said, lifting the boys' backpacks easily. "The girls are outside on the trampoline. Why don't you guys go join them, and in a little while I'll order pizza." Lucas and Nathan nodded and bolted outside, not needing any urging to play on the trampoline.

"LUCAS! NATHAN!" Brooke shrieked, doing a split jump as she saw the boys. "Come play with us! We're having a jumping contest!"

"Yeah, come on. Bet we'll beat you," Peyton taunted, bouncing up and down near the edge of the trampoline.

"No way!" Lucas said indignantly. "Boys are stronger than girls, so we can jump higher!"

"Wanna bet?" Peyton challenged, hopping easily off of the trampoline. "It's on. You can go first, Nathan. Haley, you be the judge," she directed to her little sister, who was swinging nearby.

"Okay," Haley said agreeably, jumping out of the swing. The jumping contest commenced with Nathan, who started building up momentum instantly. However, he had rarely been on a trampoline in the past, and he soon lost control, falling hard onto his side.

"Ouch," Haley said sympathetically as Nathan climbed stiffly off the trampoline. "Sorry Nathan, but that wasn't very good."

"Yeah, I know," Nathan grumbled. "Your turn, Brooke."

Brooke, with her bouncy enthusiasm and flexible body, was practically built for jumping contests. After bouncing a few times, she launched herself into a high kick in the air, rising at least five feet off the trampoline. Even Lucas had to applaud her efforts.

Brooke jumped off the trampoline triumphantly. "Beat that, Luke!" she said cheerfully, no hint of malice in her voice whatsoever. Yet, despite her cheerful attitude, Lucas furrowed his brow, and climbed onto the trampoline with grim determination. He didn't do nearly as bad as his brother…he actually jumped about as high as Brooke, but his form lacked the grace hers had.

"That was good, Luke," Haley said encouragingly. Peyton rolled her eyes and smirked, brushing past him to take her turn. After stealing a quick glance through the window to make sure Keith wasn't watching, she hurled herself into a flawless back tuck somersault.

"Peyton!" Haley hissed. "You're not supposed to do that unless Daddy's out here!"

"What Daddy doesn't know won't hurt him," Peyton said airily, leaping off of the trampoline. "Now, Haley-Bop, who won?"

"Well…I guess you and Brooke did," Haley admitted. "But still, you shouldn't do that without Daddy here. You could get hurt."

"Peyton, you cheated!" Lucas said irritably. "You know we're not allowed to do somersaults. You should forfeit!"

"You're just mad because you lost to a couple of girls," Peyton said smugly. "Wanna come in the house and see who the Mario Kart Champion is?"

"Yeah, we would," Nathan said, grabbing his brother's arm and tugging him toward the back door. "Dude, once you start playing, I'll go take care of our plan," he whispered discreetly. "They totally deserve it now." Lucas grinned and nodded.

The Mario Kart championship didn't go nearly as poorly for the boys. Nathan, who was surprisingly adept at the game despite not owning his own system when he lived with Deb, easily outraced his brother and his cousins. Peyton, unfortunately, knocked Lucas off the track in the final race and came in second, making Lucas feel better about the stunt he and Nathan were about to pull. Keith soon called the kids for dinner, and after a filling meal of stuffed crust pizza and Double Stuf Oreos, the kids had lost some of their competitive streak and were winding down for the night. Keith suggested that they head to the basement and put in a movie. Once he had gotten them to agree on watching _Angels in the Outfield_, he retired to the living room with a copy of the latest John Grisham novel. He had been reading for about an hour, when he heard a crash echo from the girls' bathroom, followed by a cry of pain.

Keith jumped up from his easy chair and bolted towards the bathroom. He threw open the door, only to find Peyton sobbing on the floor. Her pajama bottoms were tangled around her legs, and there was blood trickling out of a small cut on her forehead.

"Peyton, Baby, what happened?" Keith asked worriedly, kneeling down next to her. He heard the footsteps of the other kids pounding up the basement stairs, and he hurriedly pulled Peyton's pants up so she wouldn't be embarrassed.

"I don't know!" Peyton wailed, allowing Keith to set her on his lap. "I…I was going to the bathroom and…something's wrong and I fell, and…" her voice got lost amongst her sobs, and she buried her head into Keith's shoulder.

"Daddy, what happened?" Brooke cried, skidding to a halt in the bathroom doorway, the other kids at her heels. Brooke and Haley looked shocked to see their tough sister crying so openly, but Nathan and Lucas looked downright horrified.

"I'm not sure," Keith said distractedly, cradling Peyton with one arm while rummaging through the bottom cabinet with the other. He located the first aid kit and quickly began to patch Peyton up. He was relieved to see that the cut on her forehead was merely superficial. However, a bruise was starting to appear around the outsides of the wound, and Keith was sure that it was hurting Peyton terribly.

As Keith placed the second bandage on Peyton's head along with a kiss, he began to examine the area where Peyton had fallen. He saw that there were a few wet spots on the floor, and he deduced the Peyton must have slipped and hit her head on the bathtub. He was about to ask Peyton why the floor was wet, but then he noticed something strange out of the corner of his eye. Frowning, Keith reached out to touch the side of the toilet. His brow furrowed as his suspicions were confirmed, and he turned his head to look at the four uninjured children in the room.

"Is there anyone who would like to tell me why the toilet is covered in Saran Wrap?" he asked evenly, staring at each of the kids in turn. Brooke and Haley looked bewildered at his seemingly odd question, but Nathan and Lucas both turned bright red and stared at their shoes. "Boys?"

"We…it was just supposed to be a joke," Nathan whispered, glancing up from under his eyelids. "We just wanted to see if we could pull a prank. We didn't mean for anyone to get hurt."

"We remembered you and Dad talking about the pranks you used to pull on each other," Lucas added. "We thought it would be funny."

Before Keith could say anything, Brooke's eyes flashed with anger, and she shoved Lucas hard. "Jerk!" she yelled, taking a step toward him as he stumbled backwards.

"Brooke Elyse!" Keith said sharply, causing Brooke to stop in her tracks. "I can handle this without your help, young lady. You and Haley go back downstairs to the movie." When Brooke didn't move, he raised his voice slightly. "_Now!"_ Haley reached out and gently tugged her sister's arm. She didn't look as angry as Brooke did, but she did give Nathan and Lucas a look of hurt disappointment that gutted them both. Brooke allowed Haley to drag her off, but not without sticking her tongue out at the boys.

Keith looked down at Peyton once Lucas and Nathan were safe from Brooke's wrath. "How are you feeling, Baby?" he asked gently, smoothing her hair back from the cut.

"I'm fine," Peyton shrugged, her pain being replaced by embarrassment and anger. She was trying to sound tough, but Keith could see that she still had tears in her eyes. He stood up, cradling her in his arms.

"Come on, Sweetheart. Let's get you to bed," he said, before directing his attention back to the boys. "You guys go wait for me in my room," he directed, not bothering to raise his voice as the boys already looked frightened. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

About fifteen minutes later, Keith had gotten Peyton tucked into bed with an ice pack for her forehead and a teddy bear to cuddle with. He turned off her light, and headed down the hallway to his bedroom. He sighed to himself, hating that he had to punish his nephews. It was bad enough always having to play bad cop with the girls…he liked having a break with Nathan and Lucas. Still, he knew Dan and Karen would expect him to take care of any misbehavior.

Keith opened the door and closed it behind him. Nathan and Lucas were seated on the edge of the bed, both looking scared and dejected. Keith felt a twinge of sympathy for them as he came over and sat between them. He sat in silence for a moment as he searched for the right words.

"Guys, you know that when your Dad and I were growing up, we got punished a lot by Grandpa Roy," he began, looking down at the ground. "A lot of times, we got punished for things that we hadn't done, or things that weren't really all that bad. Most of the time, we got punished for nothing. But there were a few times where we really deserved what we got. Do you know what the most deserved punishment I ever got was?"

"No," Lucas whispered, stealing a glance at his uncle.

"I was about your age," Keith remembered, "and your Dad and I had been pranking each other for weeks. Salt on each other's cereal, shaving cream in each other's shoes, you name it. We kept trying to one up each other, until finally, I decided to smear Vaseline all over the bathroom floor, so your Dad would slip. I just wanted to embarrass him, like I think you wanted to embarrass Peyton, but unfortunately, your Dad cracked his head on the toilet when he went down. He had to get five stitches, and I think Grandpa Roy gave me about ten licks with his belt for every stitch."

Nathan's eyes opened wide with fear. "Are…are you gonna…use a belt on us?" he asked nervously.

"No, I'm not," Keith said firmly, wrapping an arm around his youngest nephew. "I would never do that to either of you. But I am going to punish you. Not because you played a prank, but because you played a careless prank. Pranks can be funny, guys, but you have to think about whether or not someone will get hurt."

"We didn't mean for Peyton to get hurt," Lucas said meekly, tears welling up in his eyes. "We just…we wanted to play some kind of prank, and she was teasing us, and…we're sorry."

"I know," Keith assured them. "That's why I'm not going to be too rough on you. But do you agree that you deserve to be punished?"

Both boys nodded slightly, neither wanting to admit it out loud. Keith didn't push the issue, just pulled both of the boys to their feet by the arms, before taking Nathan and helping him over his lap. He gave his youngest nephew a dozen solid spanks, holding him tightly against his stomach as the little boy began to whimper. As soon as he had finished, he repeated the process with Lucas, who actually started to cry during the spanking. Lucas had always been incredibly close to Keith, and he hated disappointing him more than anything.

As much as the boys hated disappointing Keith, Keith hated spanking them even more, and he was relieved when the final swat had been delivered and he could wrap both of his nephews in a warm bear hug.

"I love you guys," he said gently, holding both of them close. "I'm sorry I had to do that. Just promise me you'll be more careful in the future, okay?"

"Okay," both boys said, wiping their tears away after a few minutes. Nathan drew back from the embrace and gave his uncle a worried look. "Are you going to tell Dad?"

"Yeah, Buddy, I have to," Keith said. "I would want your Dad to tell me if your cousins got in trouble with him. But I'll tell him you've already been punished, so I don't think he'll spank you again. I do want you to apologize to Peyton in the morning, though. Now, do you guys want to wash your faces and go finish the movie, or are you ready to call it a night?"

The boys decided they would rather go to bed than face their cousins, and within half an hour Keith had them tucked on their stomachs into the guest room bed. They fell asleep almost instantly, only to be awoken about two hours later by the creaking of their bedroom door.

"Lucas. Nathan," Haley whispered, tiptoeing in and sitting on the bed. "Wake up."

Both boys sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from their eyes. They cringed when they saw that Brooke and Peyton had joined their sister. "Are…are you okay, Peyton?" Nathan asked tentatively.

"Not really. But I'm probably better than you," Peyton said philosophically, sitting next to Haley. "Don't ever tell Uncle Dan I said this, but he doesn't spank anywhere near as hard as Dad. You guys are probably hurting right now."

"Yeah, a little bit," Lucas admitted, propping himself up on his side to avoid contact with his rear end. "I guess we deserved it, though," he added sheepishly.

"Darn right you did," Brooke snapped, still looking slightly irked. "I can't believe you would try to hurt us with some stupid prank."

"We didn't want to hurt you, Brooke!" Nathan protested quietly. "Some of the guys at school were talking about pranking their sisters, and we kind of think of you guys as sisters, so we just thought we'd try something. We never meant to hurt anyone, honest!"

Brooke's scowl melted away. "You think of us as sisters?" she asked in surprise. "Aw guys! That's so sweet!" she gushed, jumping onto the bed and throwing her arms around both of the boys. Nathan and Lucas awkwardly hugged her back, baffled once again at how fast her mood could change.

"Very sweet," Peyton agreed sarcastically. "And, since we think of you as brothers, I'm sure you won't mind if we retaliate with some pranks of our own."

"Um, I'm not sure we should start a prank war," Nathan cautioned. "Is getting back at us really worth getting a spanking?"

While Peyton and Brooke considered this, Haley piped up. "I've got a better idea," she said conspiratorially. "Daddy's been talking about letting us go to camp this summer. Maybe, if you guys come with us, we could launch a prank war on the rest of the campers, like in that movie _The Parent Trap._ With that many kids, no one would ever know it was us. It would be fun!"

Peyton stared at her little sister in surprise. "Um…that's kind of an awesome idea. When did you become such a troublemaker?" she asked.

Haley shrugged. "I _am _related to all of you," she said nonchalantly. All of the kids broke out into laughter, not even caring if they woke up Keith.

**Poor Peyton! That prank was a true story from camp when I was about 12 years old. I wasn't involved in any way, but I did see the girl afterwards who fell, and it looked like it hurt. I think it would be a fun chapter if the Scott kids terrorized a summer camp! Just an FYI: I am definitely going to be writing a couple of one-shots about the boys when they're older. I haven't forgotten, but I am going to wait until after the baby is born. I don't want to spoil anything about gender, name, etc. Coming up next: Happy Birthday Lucas! Things will be pretty lighthearted for most of the chapter, but something may go wrong at the end…we'll just have to wait and see. Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry guys…same excuses as last time. For those of you who don't read my other fic, my grandmother recently passed away, so that put a damper on my writing ability for a while. And on top of that, law school is pure and utter chaos, and it's hard to find time to shower sometimes, let alone write. I really should be studying for exams right now, but I didn't want you guys to have to wait any longer. This chapter is a little short, and I do apologize for that. I wanted to update a few weeks ago, but I was really struggling with writer's block on this one. I finally figured out where I wanted it to go, and this is kind of a transition chapter to a more dramatic chapter next time around. Hope you enjoy!**

Lucas's eyes popped open when he heard footsteps approaching his bedroom. His body tensed in anticipation and a sneaky smile played across his lips as his door quietly creaked open. He listened intently as the tiptoeing feet came closer and closer to his bed. The moment he felt the weight of his mattress shift, he dove headfirst off the other side of his bed, only to have his ankle grasped in a strong hand.

"Oh no you don't, little boy," Dan said, tugging his son back onto the bed. His voice sounded stern, but his eyes were sparkling as he grinned. "You're not getting away from me that easily. You know what's coming."

Lucas struggled as Dan tossed him over his lap, but, like his father, he sported a huge grin. "One day you're not going to be able to catch me!" he proclaimed, squirming in anticipation as Dan wrapped an arm around his stomach.

Dan chuckled as he raised his hand. "Maybe so, but you're gonna have to be a lot older than eleven years old before you can take on your old man," he said, his deep voice growing a little wistful as he realized that it wouldn't be much longer before Lucas was too old for this birthday tradition. He quickly brushed those thoughts away, however, and tucked Lucas close into his stomach before raising his hand and delivering the first swat.

Lucas jumped at the impact of Dan's hand on his pajama covered bottom, but instead of his customary "Ow!" he let out a giggle. Dan had been waking his son up with birthday spankings since he was four. He always pretended to make a big deal out of it, his voice dripping with mock sternness as he raised his hand high. But the swats he delivered were never more than love pats, save for the final "one to grow on", which carried enough weight to sting slightly while Lucas ate his birthday breakfast. Lucas always made a game out of trying to get away before Dan could spank him, but both father and son looked forward to the simple ritual every year.

"Alright, that's eleven," Dan said, raising his hand one more time. "You ready for one to grow on?" Lucas nodded, squeezing his eyes shut in anticipation. Dan delivered the final swat, finally eliciting an "Ow!" from Lucas. But Dan knew his son didn't mind the sting when he looked over his shoulder and gave his dad a grin.

Dan lifted Lucas off of his lap and wrapped him tightly in a bear hug. "Happy Birthday, son," he said warmly, giving Lucas a soft kiss on top of his blond head.

"Thanks Dad," Lucas replied, leaning into Dan's chest. Most of the time, a spanking was the last thing in the world Lucas wanted. But on his birthday, this was a special moment between him and his Dad.

"You're welcome," Dan said, patting him on the back and releasing him from his embrace. "You ready to go downstairs? Mom and Nathan were whipping up a pretty good looking breakfast last time I was down there."

Lucas sighed and flopped face down onto his bed. "I don't think I'm up for it," he sighed dramatically. "I can barely walk after such a hard spanking."

Dan snorted and lifted Lucas easily in his arms. "Well, then I guess I'll have to carry you, birthday boy," he teased.

Downstairs, Nathan was setting the table while Karen put the icing on the homemade cinnamon buns. Nathan looked over his shoulder as the sound of Lucas's final birthday spank echoed down the stairs, and his brow furrowed slightly in concern. "Is Dad going to spank me on my birthday, Mom?" he asked uncertainly.

Karen laughed at his expression, and reached out to give him a one armed hug. "Not if it would upset you," she promised. "But don't let the sound fool you. Your Dad's swatted mosquitos with more force than he's using on Lucas right now."

"If you say so," Nathan said warily. He finished setting the table, and Karen placed the platter of cinnamon buns in the center. She had started pouring fresh orange juice for everyone when Dan entered the kitchen with Lucas propped on his hip.

"Make way for the birthday boy!" Dan announced, swinging Lucas down to the floor. Karen set down the juice pitcher and made her way over to her son.

"Happy Birthday, Baby Boy," she said tenderly, giving him a fierce hug. She let him go after a few and cupped his face in her hands. "Wasn't it just yesterday that I was changing your diapers?" she asked wistfully.

"Mom!" Lucas cried indignantly, glaring at Nathan when he giggled. "Dude, shut up."

"Sorry," Nathan apologized, walking over and giving his brother a loose hug. "Happy birthday, big bro."

"Thanks, little bro," Lucas replied, returning the hug. "Hey cool, cinnamon buns! I'm starving!"

No members of the Scott family were starving after they had finished feasting on the cinnamon buns, scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns that Karen had prepared. Once the table had been cleared, Karen and Dan sent the boys outside to play while they got the house ready for Lucas's birthday party. Lucas had invited several friends from school, and of course Keith and the girls were attending. Lucas had requested a sports themed birthday party, and Dan and Karen had thrown themselves into making that wish come true. Dan was filling the backyard with all kinds of stuff for the kids to play baseball, soccer, football, and of course, basketball. He had also purchased an air hockey table as a gift for Lucas, and he went to work setting it up the living room. Meanwhile, Karen was baking a humongous cake in the shape of a basketball.

While their parents were working on the party preparations, Lucas and Nathan were about to engage in a game of horse in the driveway. Before they started, though, Nathan had a question for his brother.

"Dude, does it still hurt?" Nathan asked Lucas.

"Does what hurt?" Lucas asked confusedly.

"You know…does your butt still hurt from this morning?" Nathan clarified awkwardly.

"What…you mean my birthday spanking?" Lucas laughed. "No way, man. Haven't you ever gotten a birthday spanking before?"

"Nah," Nathan shrugged. "I was lucky if my mom wasn't working on my birthday."

"Well, you'll probably get one on your birthday this year," Lucas said confidently. "Dad and I always make a game out of it. I try and get away, but he always catches me."

"And you're sure it doesn't hurt?"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Like Dad would give me a real spanking on my birthday. Nah, he pretends like he's going to hit really hard, but he's just teasing. I never feel any of them, except the last one. But enough talk about that. Let's play ball."

"Don't think I'm taking it easy on you because it's your birthday," Nathan warned, setting up for a long jump shot.

"Like I'd need you to. Don't forget; I'm a year older than you now," Lucas teased.

Nathan rolled his eyes. "You're still only three months older than me," he reminded him, easily putting up the jump shot. "See if you can beat that…old man," he scoffed.

Lucas was about to retort, when Keith's truck came pulling up to the curb. It had barely stopped when Brooke shoved open the door and clambered out of the car. "LUCAS!" she shrieked, running to her cousin and throwing her arms around him. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks," Lucas said, struggling to free himself from her viselike grip. "Aren't you guys early? My party isn't until 3:00."

"I thought we'd come a little early so I could help your mom and dad set up," Keith said, coming up onto the driveway and opening his arms for Lucas. "Happy Birthday, kiddo."

"Thanks, Uncle Keith," Lucas grinned, looking around him to see that Peyton and Haley were each carrying large gifts. "What'd you get me?" he asked excited.

Keith laughed and ruffled his nephew's hair. "Not until your party, kiddo."

"Don't worry, they're awesome," Peyton said confidently. "I helped pick them out."

"But I did the wrapping," Brooke interjected. "If I'd left it up to Daddy, they would have looked sloppy and cheap."

"You better watch it, young lady," Keith said with a raised eyebrow, but it was clear from his tone that he wasn't angry.

"Keith!" Karen called, opening the front door. "We weren't expecting you for another couple of hours."

"Figured I'd come give my favorite brother and sister-in-law a hand," he said, leaving the group of children standing on the driveway.

"What are you guys doing?" Haley asked, as Karen and Keith chatted on the front steps.

"Playing basketball…what else?" Nathan said, elbowing her gently. "Luke, where'd the basketball go? I thought I left it by the hoop."

Lucas looked around and saw that the bright orange orb had rolled into the street. "There it is. I'll go grab it." He ran into the street and leaned down to pick up the ball. As he straightened up, he found himself face to face with a sports car going well over 50 miles an hour.

"LUCAS!" Karen screamed, as the car barreled towards the small boy. Lucas, in a moment of panic, dove to the ground. The shiny car, being driven by an irate teenager, barely swerved past him as the driver honked the horn loudly.

"Lucas!" Karen cried, rushing out to her son's side, Keith following at her heels. "Lucas, talk to me. Are you hurt?"

Lucas lifted his head from the ground, his face chalk white with fear. "N…no," he stuttered. "I think I just scraped my knee."

"Okay, let's get you out of the street," Keith said worriedly, helping his nephew to his feet. Once they were safely back on the driveway, and Karen could see that Lucas truly had only suffered a scraped knee, her panic transformed into unbridled fury.

"What in the world were you thinking?" she shouted, reaching down and grabbing Lucas by the shoulders. "You know you're not supposed to run into the street! You could have been killed! You could have…" Karen breathing suddenly became shallow, and she dropped to her knees on the cement.

"Karen?" Keith said concernedly. Before he could say anything else, Karen clutched her stomach and let out an agonized scream.

"Something's…wrong," she choked out. "Baby…" Her words trailed off as she slumped over onto her side.

"Mom?" Lucas cried.

"Nathan, go get your father!" Keith yelled. "Girls, get the phone and dial 911! Now!"

"MOM!"

**I know, I'm a horrible person…I make you wait all that time and then I give you a cliffhanger. Coming up next…why would I tell you? That would completely spoil the cliffhanger. But I will say that things will be emotional. I will try to have the next chapter posted around Thanksgiving. After that, I've got finals to take, so don't expect anything until mid-December. Thank you all so much for sticking with me and continuing to read this story. I know it's frustrating not to get the updates, but I'm doing my best and I appreciate all your support. Please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Thanksgiving…Easter…they're both holidays, right? So I didn't really lie to you guys when I said I'd update around Thanksgiving? Yeah, don't answer that. Anyways, the ending of One Tree Hill has given me tons of new inspiration, so hopefully I can get updates out a teeny bit faster than…*checks calendar*…5 months. Btw, if anyone wants to talk about the finale or the bittersweet awesomeness that was Danny Boy, please feel free to PM me. I will be happy to analyze the details and discuss what was epic and what was not. Okay, enough chit-chat. Enjoy the chapter that will finally end the horrible cliffhanger I left you guys with last year!**

_The sunlight shone on Karen's face and woke her gently. She blinked her eyes and slowly propped herself up on her elbow as she looked around in confusion. She didn't remember coming to the River Court, but she recognized the view across the river, and the white blanket she was lying on was the one she always used when she came to watch the boys play. And sure enough, there were her boys in the distance, playing a game of keep-away with their cousins on the court. _

_Karen smiled as she watched the girls jump in the air, trying to grab the ball away from their more athletic cousins. Her smile quickly turned into a frown as Brooke leaped on Nathan's back and threw her hands over his eyes, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. Karen quickly stood up to make sure Nathan was alright and to scold Brooke for playing too rough, but before she could, a voice spoke to her from behind._

"_You know, I always felt bad about not giving Keith a son," the voice said. "But most days Brooke has more guts than five boys."_

_Karen's breath caught in her throat. She turned around slowly, not daring to believe that the voice she heard was real. But standing behind her, plain as day, was a tall woman with long brown hair and a dazzling smile._

"_Jules?" Karen whispered._

"_Hey Kare," Jules said with a grin. She walked towards her sister in law and took her hand in hers. "It's good to see you. Come on, sit with me."_

_Karen's feet were frozen to the ground, but her head whipped back and forth between her children on the River Court, who were very much alive, and the woman next to her, who was very much not._

"_Don't worry," Jules said laughing. "They can't hear or see us. We've got time for a little girl talk."_

_Karen followed Jules in a daze over to the bleachers. "But…how is this happening?" she asked weakly._

"_Don't you remember what happened?" Jules asked gently, guiding the other woman to sit down._

_Karen looked around in confusion for a moment, before her gaze slipped downward to rest upon her protruding stomach. "Oh God…my baby!" she gasped in horror. "Am I…is it…are we…"_

"_Sh, Karen, calm down," Jules soothed. "Your baby is going to be fine, and so are you."_

"_Then why am I here? With you?" Karen protested._

"_You're asleep in the hospital," Jules said. "You had a big scare this afternoon, you know. It's no wonder you had to check out for a little while."_

"_I remember now," Karen said. "Lucas ran into the street...I was so scared."_

"_With good reason," Jules said wryly. "I remember when Peyton ran into the street when she was six. Keith and I were both so angry we almost fought about who got to spank her for it."_

"_I know what you mean," Karen said, shaking her head. "I was ready to let Lucas have it when…" she trailed off, caressing her stomach with one hand. "Jules, are you sure my baby is going to be okay?" she asked worriedly. "I've never been in that much pain before…I was sure I had lost it."_

"_Trust me, Karen," Jules said. "You and your little girl are both going to be just fine."_

_Karen's eyes widened. "How do you know…?"_

"_One of the perks of the afterlife," Jules replied with a shrug. "I wasn't going to tell you, but I figure you could use some good news. Plus, I can't wait to see Dan's reaction when he finds out."_

_Despite the unease that Karen was still feeling at being in the presence of a ghost, she managed a smile. "He said that he can't imagine himself with a girl, but I think he's going to love it," she said. _

"_I think you're right," Jules confirmed. "He's always been a great uncle to his nieces. He tolerates Brooke's girlish tendencies and Peyton's moodiness, and he's so tender with Haley."_

"_Well, it's hard not to love your girls," Karen said, smiling towards the figures on the River Court. "They had a wonderful mother to teach them how to be good women."_

"_They still have a wonderful mother," Jules said, turning and looking straight into Karen's eyes. "I know it's freaking you out a little to be here, but I'm glad you are, because I can finally tell you how grateful I am to you. I don't know what Keith and the girls would have done these past few years without you. You're always there for them, and I know you've helped to fill the gap I left in their lives. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for mothering my children."_

"_That goes for me, too," said an unfamiliar voice._

_Karen jumped and turned around, surprised to hear another person in her dream state. Her surprise increased tenfold when she realized who was standing next to her. She had never seen the woman in person, but she had seen her smiling face every night as she tucked Nathan into bed._

"_Deb?" she whispered, not believing her eyes. "Is that you?"_

"_In the flesh," Deb said, perching herself on the edge of the bleachers. "Well…not really the flesh, but…yeah, that didn't come out right."_

_Karen just stared at the blonde woman, not knowing what to say. Deb smiled at Karen's expression, and reached out to take her hand._

"_I know we're not supposed to carry around any guilt in the afterlife," she began. "But when I think of all the years I spent despising you, it makes me sick inside."_

"_You can't blame yourself for that, Deb," Karen said, placing her free hand on top of Deb's. "I would have hated anyone who took away the father of my son, not to mention the man I loved."_

"_I don't think I really loved Dan," Deb admitted. "I loved the fantasy of what my life could have been like if he had stayed. But watching over all of you these past months, it's clear that you and Dan were meant to be. And even though I will miss holding him in my arms for the rest of his life, Nathan was meant to be your son."_

_Karen's eyes filled up with tears at Deb's admission. "He still misses you so much," she said, stealing a look at the dark haired boy on the River Court. "He says he's happy, but I'm constantly wondering if I'm enough for him. I don't want to replace you, but I don't want him to feel like there's a hole in his life."_

"_That's what makes you such a good mother, Karen," Deb said earnestly. "You allow him to carry my memory, but you love him as though you're the only mother he's ever known. I couldn't ask for anything more of you, and neither could he. I am so grateful to you for loving my boy."_

"_Our boy," Karen said softly, taking a longer look at Nathan as he put up a jump shot and pumped his fist triumphantly. _

_Jules cleared her throat. "Speaking of, Karen, all of your boys and girls are waiting for you to wake up. You've been out for a while in the real world."_

"_Oh," Karen said, dropping Deb's hand. "But…there are things I want to ask you. Like, where did you go after you died? And is there anything I need to know about the future?"_

_Jules and Deb shared a glance with each other. "Okay, we're really not supposed to do this," Jules said conspiratorially. "But in 2003, when you, Dan and Keith get an offer from an investor to stay in a condo at Myrtle Beach for the weekend, do not, under any circumstances, leave those children home alone."_

_Karen raised her eyebrow. "Do I want to know?"_

"_Let's just say it involves about a dozen kegs, and an unlicensed tattoo artist," Deb replied drily._

"_Nope, don't wanna know," Karen responded immediately. "And…the first question?"_

_Jules and Deb shared another glance and a smile. "You just concentrate on your life on Earth," Jules said finally. "We've left you with a lot to take care of. You don't need to worry about anything else."_

_Karen nodded, wanting to know more, but understanding that knowing might be more of a burden than it was worth. "So…how does this work? Do I go to sleep and wake up in the hospital?"_

"_Don't worry; you'll figure it out when the time is right," Deb said._

"_But you've still got a few more minutes," Jules added. "So let's just hang out for a while longer and watch our kids."_

"_Good idea," Karen said, smiling softly as the three mothers watched their children play, content with the sounds of their happy laughter. Little did Karen know that her family was anything but happy in the real world._

"_Come on, Karen_," Dan thought to himself as he divided his gaze between his wife's face and her heart monitor. "_You need to open your eyes for me, Baby_."

"Danny?" Keith said, slipping into the hospital room.

Dan raised his weary eyes to look at his brother, his hand never letting go of Karen's. "Yeah?" he responded, his voice cracking slightly as he willed himself to speak for the first time in hours.

"How's she doing?" Keith said, approaching his brother and placing his hand on his shoulder.

Dan swallowed hard, trying to suppress the gigantic lump in his throat. "The doctor said she has preeclampsia," he said softly, stroking Karen's hand gently with his thumb. "The stress from seeing Lucas almost hit by that car made her blood pressure go out of control, and…" his breath caught in his throat, and he had to swallow twice more before he could finish. "They said that as long as she doesn't exert herself and gets plenty of rest, she'll probably be okay. Probably."

"She's going to be fine, Danny," Keith said, his voice soft but sure. "Karen is strong. Plenty of women have preeclampsia and get through pregnancy just fine."

"I know," said Dan. "She's the strongest person I know. If I lose her…" his breath caught once more, and this time he wasn't able to stop a tear from slipping out of the corner of his eye.

"You will not lose her," Keith said emphatically. "I believe that with all of my heart."

"You're right," Dan sighed, reaching up quickly to wipe the tear away. "I'm sure she'll wake up. I just feel so lost when I don't have her by my side." He reached out his free hand and brushed Karen's hair away from her face. Despite her illness and the passing of eleven years, she still looked as beautiful as she had the last time she had lain in a hospital bed, with a tiny, squirming Lucas cradled in her arms.

"Danny, I think you need to go out and talk to Lucas," Keith ventured tentatively. "He hasn't said a word since we got to the hospital. I think he's under the impression that he caused this."

Dan's mouth tightened slightly as he glanced over at his brother. "He ran out into the street, Keith. I specifically told both of the boys not to stress out their mother during this pregnancy, and look what happened."

"Dan, you're not being fair," Keith said sharply. "Yes, Lucas ran out into the street, but he didn't intentionally do anything to hurt Karen. The only thing he should be blamed for is behaving like an eleven-year-old boy, not for putting his mother in the hospital. Besides, if Karen has preeclampsia, this could have happened at any time. At least this allowed you to catch it sooner rather than later."

Dan sucked in his breath and rubbed his forehead tiredly. "I know. You're right. I'm just…I'm really angry at him, Keith. He could have gotten killed over a stupid basketball. And now his mother is lying in a hospital bed. I've come dangerously close to losing two of the most important people in my life today."

"But you didn't," Keith said firmly. "Look, after Karen wakes up and you guys are all safe at home, you can talk to Lucas about running into the street and how dangerous it was. You can even punish him, although I doubt you'll need to or want to. I don't think he's ever going to forget what happened today. Besides, I don't think you're actually angry at him. I think you're scared out of your mind, and so is he. You need to go be there for each other."

Dan nodded and rose to his feet, but he didn't let go of Karen's hand. "Go on, Danny," Keith said gently. "I'll stay with Karen. The kids are being watched in the lobby by a couple of the nurses, so you can talk to Lucas privately."

"Alright," Dan said, reluctantly letting go of Karen's hand and turning towards the door. Before he left, he turned back to his brother. "Thanks, Keith."

"You're welcome, little brother," Keith said with a smile, settling himself into Dan's vacated chair. "Now go take care of your boy."

Dan trudged down the hallway towards the lobby next to the nurses' station. He had no idea what he was going to say to his oldest son. He knew deep down that this wasn't Lucas's fault, but damned if he hadn't been lecturing that child since he was three years old about running into the street without looking. Dan knew that had Karen not ended up in the hospital because of this incident, he would have hauled Lucas up to his room and blistered his bare butt for him, even if Karen had gotten to him first. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that no matter how angry he was, he couldn't lose his temper and spank Lucas in the middle of the lobby.

The instant Dan turned the corner and saw his son; however, all thoughts of punishing him flew out the window. The nurses had apparently raided the vending machine for the five Scott children, and the girls and Nathan were all munching on chips and candy bars, albeit with worried looks on their faces. Lucas, however, was ignoring the bag of Fritos the nurses had placed in front of him. Instead, he was curled up in a chair in the farthest corner of the waiting room, his knees drawn to his chest, his eyes vacant and red. Dan felt his heart clench, and his desire to discipline his son was replaced with a desire to rock him in his arms.

"Dad!" Nathan cried, jumping to his feet and running over to him. "Is Mom alright?"

"The doctor said she should be alright, buddy," Dan said, wrapping an arm around Nathan and drawing him close. "It's just going to be a little longer before she wakes up. But she and the baby are both okay."

"Good," Nathan said with a relieved smile, turning to his brother. "Luke, did you hear that? Mom's gonna be okay!"

Luke didn't look up, but Dan could see some of the tension in the boy's shoulders drop away. Dan patted Nathan's shoulder and guided him back to his cousins. "Nate, you and the girls hang out here for a little while longer, okay? I need to go talk to Lucas, and then I'll get Keith to drive you guys home. There's no need for you to stay here any longer."

"Uncle Dan?" Haley said, jumping to her feet and tugging on her Uncle's sleeve. When Dan leaned down after she gestured to him, she whispered in his ear, "Lucas is really sad. Can you please make him feel better?"

Dan smiled and caressed the little girl's cheek. "Don't you worry, Haley-Bop. I'll make him feel better." Dan turned and crossed the waiting room to his eldest son. "Lucas, come with me. We need to talk," he said, extending his hand for the boy to take.

Lucas took his father's hand and numbly followed him into a private waiting room off of the main lobby. Dan sat down in a large easy chair and guided Lucas to stand in front of him.

"Lucas, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Look at me, please," he added firmly. Lucas raised his eyes, and Dan could practically feel the fear emanating from them. "Lucas, your mother has an illness that some women get when they are pregnant," he said, staring deep into his son's eyes. "She's had the illness for a few weeks; we just haven't seen it until now. This means that you didn't make her sick. Do you understand?"

Lucas's eyes widened and his lower lip began to tremble. "But…I scared her," he said, his voice scratchy from hours of misuse. "I ran into the road, and…and she was yelling, and…" his words cut off as tears started to stream down his face.

"Lucas," Dan said, grasping his son by the shoulders. "Running into the street was wrong. And yes, the stress of seeing you almost get hit by a car did activate her sickness. But if you hadn't, something else would have. It was only a matter of time before Mom got sick. You didn't cause this, son. I don't want you to carry that thought around with you for another second."

Lucas saw the truth in his Dad's eyes, and he couldn't stop the floodgates from bursting open. As Lucas's face crumpled, Dan lifted the boy into his lap and held him close, murmuring soothing words as his son released the pain and fear he had been feeling for hours.

After several minutes of sobbing, Lucas raised his face from Dan's chest. "You're sure she and the baby are going to be okay?" he asked, scrubbing the tears away with his fist.

"We can never be sure, Luke," Dan answered honestly. "Something can always go wrong during a pregnancy, and this condition your mom has could be dangerous. But as long as all of us work together to make sure she's taken care of and well-rested, there's no reason why everything shouldn't turn out fine."

Lucas nodded slowly. He was clearly still worried about his mom, but much of the burden he had been carrying around had disappeared. "Can I go see her?" he asked tentatively.

"Not while she's unconscious, buddy," Dan said. "But I promise, as soon as she wakes up, you and you brother can both go see her. For now, let's get you back to the lobby, and Uncle Keith will take you home. You guys have to be hungry."

As he lifted Lucas off his lap, Dan couldn't resist saying one last thing. "If you ever run into the street and scare me like that again, I swear on everything that is holy that I will blister your butt, and I won't be using my hand. That is a promise," he said. His voice wasn't nearly as stern as it usually was when he was delivering a lecture, but Lucas got the message loud and clear just the same.

"Yes sir," he said, ducking his head. Dan quickly put his arm around him and began to lead him out of the room. He knew that Keith had been right that Lucas didn't need much lecturing or punishing for what he had done. Poor kid was beating himself up enough as it was.

"By the way," Dean said as he opened the door. "I'm really sorry we didn't get to have your party today."

Lucas looked up at him in surprise. "I didn't even remember," he said honestly. "I was so worried about Mom, I just…forgot it was my birthday."

"Well, I didn't," Dan said. "And as soon as Mom is feeling better, we'll make it up to you. Maybe you and I can take a trip, just the two of us."

"I'd like that," Lucas said, smiling for the first time in hours. As they entered the waiting room, Dan noticed Keith sitting with the girls and Nathan, and his heart began to pound. "Keith?" he asked worriedly.

"She's fine, Danny," Keith said, standing up with a smile. "She woke up about 5 minutes after you left. The nurse is in there checking her vitals and doing an ultrasound."

"Can we go see her?" Nathan begged.

"You go on and take the boys," Keith said. "The girls and I can wait for another half hour or so."

"Here, take her these," Brooke said, thrusting a wad of construction paper into Dan's hands. "We made her some cards."

"Thanks, Princess," Dan said, ruffling the girl's hair. "Come on, boys. Let's go see your mom."

Karen turned towards the doorway with a weak smile as her family entered the hospital room. "There are my boys," she said softly, extending her hand to them. "Come here and give me a hug."

Nathan practically dove at the bed, but Lucas hung back, unsure of himself. A gentle push from Dan propelled him towards his mother, who reached out and stroked his cheek.

"I've missed you, Baby Boy," she said tenderly.

Lucas's lip began to tremble for the second time in an hour. "I missed you, too," he whimpered, burying his head into her shoulder. Karen closed her eyes contentedly and held both her boys as tightly as her tired arms would let her.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Dan asked gently, coming to stand behind the boys. "You were out for a long time. You had me worried there for a little bit."

"I'm sorry," Karen said sincerely. "I feel fine…just had a really long dream."

"About what?" Dan asked, brushing a stray curl back from her forehead.

"Oh…a lot of things," Karen said with a smile. "Our sons…our nieces…our daughter."

Dan's eyes widened, and Lucas and Nathan shared an astonished look. "Our…daughter?" Dan asked uncertainly.

"The nurse confirmed it while she was doing the ultrasound," Karen said, reaching down to caress her stomach. "But I already knew. It's a girl."

And in the corner of the hospital room, two unseen figures shared a secret smile.

**Like I would have killed Karen…in case I haven't made it obvious, she's my favorite character on the show. I took a lot of inspiration from OTH for the dream sequence…it's kind of a hodge podge of the episode where Luke has his heart attack and the dream sequence with Karen and Keith. Since I alternate between my stories when updating, I'm not really sure what's coming up next in this one-I've been focusing on the next chapter of A Mother's Duties. But I'm going to shoot for something slightly more lighthearted than this chapter, that's for sure! Maybe the birthday trip with Lucas and Dan. And it's a GIRL! Please leave me a review if you enjoyed the update!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Sooooo….it's been a loooong time. Like, so long I have no idea if anyone is still reading/waiting on this fic. I kind of lost my muse in regards to this story for a while, and while I've gained some of it back, the creative juices aren't flowing nearly as well as I'd like them to. So, your reviews are really important to the future of this story. If you want me to continue, I need to know. Even if you think I already know your opinion, I still need to know. If I don't get enough feedback, I'm probably going to wrap it up in the next couple of chapters. I won't end until the birth of the baby, I promise you that, but unless I see a lot of passion for this fic, it may be time for me to call it quits. But if you guys still want to read more and if you don't mind waiting long periods in between chapters, then I will keep plugging away. On that somewhat depressing note, after ten months, here is the next chapter! Enjoy!**

"Okay, I think we've got everything loaded up," Dan said, wiping the sweat off his brow as he entered the kitchen. "Lucas, you all done with breakfast?"

"Yes Sir!" Lucas said excitedly. True to his word, Dan was taking him camping for the weekend, just the two of them, as a way to make-up for his lost birthday party. It had been almost two months since his actual birthday, and the life of the little family had been rather hectic since that fateful day. Karen was in the hospital for nearly a week before the doctor would allow her to come home. He finally released her on the condition that she remain on bed-rest for the remainder of her pregnancy.

It hadn't been easy to get Karen to comply with that order. She wasn't used to letting the little household run without her. But Dan, Lucas and Nathan had managed to work out a tag-team system so one of them was almost always keeping her company and making sure she stayed where she was supposed to. When they needed a break, Dan enlisted his nieces to come over. Brooke had painted Karen's toes just about every color of the rainbow over the past several weeks, and Haley had read almost the entire _Little House on the Prairie _series out loud to her.

"Alright, Buddy," Dan said, ruffling the boy's blonde hair and giving him a smile. "Go grab your backpack and hit the bathroom before we go. I'll meet you outside in a few minutes."

"Cool!" Lucas said, jumping up from his seat and running out of the kitchen. "Bye Nate!" he called over his shoulder.

"Bye," Nathan replied, trying to hide the twinge of jealously in his voice. His mood didn't go unnoticed by Dan, and the older man came over and took a seat next to his youngest son.

"Hey Buddy, I really appreciate you staying and looking after your mom this weekend," Dan said softly, reaching out to pat Nathan's shoulder. "I know you'd like to come camping with us. But remember, in a couple of weeks it's going to be your birthday, and as soon as basketball season starts, you and I are going to have our own father/son trip at a Bobcats game. Sound like a plan?"

"Yeah," Nathan said, giving his Dad a small smile. He was excited about going to his first professional basketball game, but it was hard not getting instant gratification at the age of ten while your brother was getting to do something awesome. Still, he knew that Luke had a really bad day on his birthday, and he deserved some special time with their Dad.

"Good boy," Dan said, wrapping him in a tight bear hug. "Now remember, Keith and the girls are coming by later. You be sure to help the girls keep your mom distracted while Keith does the work upstairs. Can I count on you to do that and be the man of the house?"

"Definitely," Nathan said, his weak smile widening into a grin. While Dan was gone for the night, Keith was going to work on setting up a miniature nursery in Karen and Dan's bedroom. The whole thing was a surprise for Karen that Dan had been planning ever since she got home from the hospital.

"Alright then," Dan said, patting him once more on the shoulder. "I'm going to go say goodbye to your mom. I'll see you tomorrow night. Be good."

Dan headed into the living room and smiled at the sight of his beautiful wife. The room had been turned upside down since Karen had been placed on bed rest. The couch was pulled out and made into a bed, and it was covered with about two dozen pillows to keep Karen comfortable. Stacks of magazines and books littered the coffee table, which had been pulled up next to the sofa so Karen could reach them easily. The television had been angled towards the sofa as well, and Dan had purchased a mini fridge so Karen would always have a cold beverage close at hand.

"We're just about ready to head out, honey," Dan said, coming over and sitting next to Karen. "Are you absolutely sure…"

"Dan, if you ask me if I'm going to be alright one more time I'm going to slug you, baby's health be damned," Karen said firmly. "The doctor said I'm stable right now, and between you and the boys I haven't had to lift a finger in nearly two months. Keith is coming over for most of the day, and Nathan knows how to dial 911 in case there's an emergency. Which there won't be. So please, have fun with Lucas and try to make up for his birthday."

Dan glared at his stubborn wife and then looked down toward her stomach. "Your mother is giving me gray hair," he said grouchily, placing a gentle hand on Karen's swollen belly.

"Mm, just you wait until you have two women to deal with," Karen said, her eyes twinkling.

"Oh, she's not going to drive me crazy like you," Dan said confidently. "You're going to be Daddy's girl, aren't you?"

"I'm pretty sure between you, me, her brothers, her cousins, and her uncle, she's going to have just about everybody wrapped around her little finger," Karen replied. "Now get going. The Price is Right is about to start, and I'm getting really good at guessing the Showcases."

"I'm so proud," Dan chuckled, giving her a warm kiss on the cheek. "I love you. Please be careful. I'll be home tomorrow night."

"And not a second sooner, Daniel Scott," Karen ordered, returning the kiss. "I love you too."

Dan had no need to worry about Karen's safety; the second his father was out the door, Nathan was on his mother like white on rice. He brought his Gameboy into the living room to play while she watched all the daytime shows she'd recently become addicted to, but he kept dying because he was constantly looking up to check on her. When Karen told him he could go outside and play, Nathan shook his head and firmly reminded his mother that he was the man of the house while Dad was gone, and he was going to look after her.

By mid-afternoon, however, Nathan was able to abandon his man of the house duties briefly. Or more rather, they were usurped from him when Brooke, Peyton and Haley came barreling through the door, Keith close behind them.

"Aunt Karen!" Brooke shrieked, throwing her arms around her aunt. "How are you?"

"She'll be fine once you release her, Brooke," Keith chastised. "Come on, you know you need to be gentle."

"I'm not made of glass, Keith," Karen retorted, returning Brooke's hug.

"Hey, I'll use any excuse I can come up with to try and get her to calm down," Keith shot back. "Nate, buddy, you gonna help me with the plumbing upstairs?" The plumbing was the code word the family had come up with to hide the nursery plans from Karen.

"You gonna be okay down here, Mom?" Nathan asked concernedly.

"She's in good hands," Brooke said, pushing Nathan over towards Keith. "Get out of here; we want to have girl time."

Keith and Nathan rolled their eyes at each other, but they obeyed Brooke's orders.

All three of the girls piled up on the couch with Karen. "How are you feeling today, Anastasia?" Brooke cooed at Karen's stomach.

"Is that the new name of the day?" Karen asked amusedly. Ever since she had heard her new little cousin was going to be a girl, Brooke had taken it upon herself to try out different names for the baby. Anastasia was actually one of the more normal selections, following Claudina, Samara, and Tiffany-Amber.

"Brooke, we can't name the baby after that dead Russian princess," Peyton scoffed. "They didn't even make a good movie about her."

"Well then, what do you suggest, Miss Know-it-All?" Brooke asked primly.

Peyton shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe name her after a rock singer, like Joan Jett or Janis Joplin."

"Uh Peyton, while I like their music, I'm not sure I want to name my baby after them," Karen said drily.

"Mommy always said that if she'd gotten to name me, she'd have named me after a flower," Haley said dreamily. "Like Daisy or Rose. Or Lily."

Karen didn't say anything, but she eyed Haley with a thoughtful smile.

While the girls were keeping Karen distracted and Keith and Nathan were working on the nursery, Lucas was having the time of his life with his Dad. They had gone to a remote campground about a couple of hours away from Tree Hill, stopping right before they got there to have lunch at a little diner. Since it was only Lucas's first week of summer break and most of the other schools weren't out yet, father and son had the entire place to themselves. After arriving at the campground and setting up the tent and fire pit, Dan took Lucas on a hike through the woods. He pointed out some animal tracks to his son while they gathered wood for the fire and sticks for roasting the fish they were hoping to catch.

Once all the prep work was done, Lucas begged his Dad to let him go swimming in the lake. Dan agreed, and the two spent the next couple of hours wrestling each other in the water, having races, and jumping off the little pier that ran into the lake. When Luke was officially worn out, Dan went back to the truck and grabbed the fishing gear, and the pair sat for a long while, rods dangling into the murky water. Unfortunately, the fish weren't having anything to do with them, though Lucas did manage to hook a couple of small minnows. Dan had suspected that they wouldn't have great luck procuring their own dinner, so he had brought some hot dogs as a back-up, which Lucas was more than willing to devour after the sun began to set.

"Dad?" Lucas asked, munching on some chips as he watched Dan stir the fire. "Are you nervous about the baby coming?"

"Luke, we've talked about this," Dan said gently. "Your mom and the baby are going to be fine. She's taking good care of herself and the doctors are monitoring her closely. You don't have to worry about either one of them."

"I know; that's not what I meant," Lucas said, taking a huge bite out of his hot dog. "I meant, are you nervous because the baby's gonna be a girl? I mean, you've never been a Dad to a girl before."

"Really? I wasn't aware of that fact," Dan said sarcastically, elbowing Lucas in the knee. "But yeah, Buddy, I guess I am a little nervous. Maybe a lot nervous."

"It's gonna be weird," Lucas commented. "I mean, we don't have any girl stuff at home. We've just got sports stuff and video games. I don't think we have anything pink."

"Well, you never know. She might be interested in sports or video games," Dan said, grabbing a stick to roast his own hot dog and plopping down on the log next to his son. "Not all girls have to like pink. Have you ever seen Peyton wear pink?"

Lucas wrinkled his nose. "I think Aunt Jules made her once, for Easter or something. Uncle Keith is still doing the nursery stuff in pink though, right?"

"That's the plan, unless the furniture company screwed up my order," Dan said, blowing out the flame as his hot dog caught on fire. "You'll see it tomorrow night. We're going to take Mom upstairs and surprise her."

"Would you rather have a daughter who likes pink or a daughter who likes sports?" Lucas asked, swallowing his last bit of hot dog.

"Well, there's no reason why she can't like both," Dan reminded his son. "And all I care about is that she's happy and healthy. That goes for you and Nathan, too."

"I don't how Nathan's doing, but I'm definitely happy right now," Lucas declared. "Hot dogs are way better than fish." Dan laughed and put his arm around his eldest son, enjoying being in his company.

The trip was over all too soon for Lucas, and for Dan as well, although he was anxious to get back to Karen and make sure she was alright. Still, he was true to his word, and Karen didn't hear the sound of his truck pulling in until close to dinner time.

"Hi Baby Boy!" Karen said enthusiastically, holding her arms out when Lucas came dashing into the house. "Did you have fun with Dad?"

"It was a blast!" Lucas grinned, plunking down on the couch next to her and accepting her offer of a hug. "But Mom, now that we're going to have a real baby in the house, don't you think it's time you stopped calling me Baby Boy?"

"Young man, I will still call you Baby Boy when you are old and gray," Karen said with finality. "And no matter how many more babies I have, you will always be my first baby."

"More babies?" Dan asked concernedly, walking into the house with the empty cooler. "Did you forget to tell me something after the last ultrasound?"

"I wasn't being literal, Dan," Karen said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey Dad!" Nathan said happily, coming up from behind and wrapping his arms around Dan's waist.

"Hey Buddy!" Dan said, wrapping Nathan in a bear hug. "Looks like you took care of the place okay."

"Just like you told me," Nathan said with a grin. "I even helped Uncle Keith with the pipes in your bedroom."

"Oh really?" Dan said, giving his son a wink. "I'll have to go check it out. Madame?" he said to Karen, giving a fake bow. "Would you care to accompany me to the bedroom for a brief moment?"

Karen gave him a weird look. "Okay, first of all, I don't really need to look at the pipes, though I'm sure you did a great job, Natey. And second of all, you just expressed concern over having more children. Going to the bedroom probably isn't the best way to combat that."

"Trust me, Kar, I think you'll want to see what Nathan and Keith did up there," Dan said, chuckling at the disgusted looks on his sons' faces at the bedroom reference.

"Well, if it'll get me out of this bed, why not?" Karen shrugged, allowing Dan to scoop her up and carry her, bridal style up the stairs. Nathan and Luke followed close behind, sharing knowing smiles.

"Nathan, would you get the door please?" Dan asked. Nathan hurriedly complied, and as the family stepped into the master bedroom, Karen felt her breath catch in her throat.

Her dresser had been moved to the left side of the room, and the bed had been pushed to the left as well, all to make room for the baby furniture Dan had purchased. Right next to the bed was a white wicker bassinet, with pink silk ribbon laced around the edges and a white eyelet comforter sitting inside. In one corner of the room stood a white changing table and dresser combination, stacked high with bibs, diapers, pacifiers, and plenty of colorful storybooks. In the opposite corner there was a pristine white crib, covered with a sheer pink canopy and filled with a variety of stuffed bunnies, lambs, and teddy bears. A white slider rocker had been placed next to the door, completing the perfect nursery for a tiny baby girl.

"Oh Dan," Karen breathed, her eyes filling with tears. "Did you do all this?"

"Keith did the hard stuff," Dan said with a grin. "I just spent a lot of money online. Do you like it?"

"It's perfect," Karen gushed. "And you're sure you don't mind having her in our room? Just until her first birthday, of course."

"Anything for you," Dan said softly, leaning down and giving her a kiss.

"Dude," Lucas said to Nathan in awe. "That is a _lot _of pink."

**Who's excited for the baby? Don't worry, she'll be here soon :) Coming up next: remember a few chapters ago when Haley came up with the idea for pranks at summer camp? I think it's time she put that idea into action, don't you? Also, in the next couple of weeks, look for a one-shot detailing Haley, Brooke and Peyton's adoptions! Remember guys, I need to know if you're still reading/still excited: guest reviewers, new readers, faithful readers, I don't care. Just let me know!**


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